Bogeyman
by SallyTheodora
Summary: Death Eaters have come out as the 'things that go bump in the night' for the magical world.  Hermione, Harry and the gang decide it's time to bump back. Post OotP.
1. Chapter 1: Inspiration

**Disclaimer: **Harry Potter, associated characters and setting belong to JK Rowling and whoever she shares the rights with, which does not include me. This is for entertainment purposes only, with no copyright infringement intended, or profit made.

**Summery: **Death Eaters have come out as the 'things that go bump in the night' for the magical world. Hermione, Harry and the gang decide it's time to bump back. Post OotP. Some grit, some humor.

**Warnings: ** Language, sparsely. Violence (including possible triggers, warnings to follow), throughout. Odd humor. Typos, although I'm re-reading and re-uploading now (Dec-11).

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><p><strong>Bogeymen<strong>

**Chapter 1: Inspiration**

_1) The process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, esp. to do something creative _

It was after lunch at the Burrow, and Molly had left them alone, not wanting to take any of them out of the wards to go grocery shopping. This left a house full of unsupervised teenagers supposedly under the watch of the twins. They somewhat promptly assembled at the diner table, following Hermione's instructions.

"What do we know about Voldemort?" Hermione asked that assembled teens, her quill poised to write above a sizable stack of parchment.

Ron, across the table from her, winced at the name. "He's You-Know-Who, what else do you need to know?"

Hermione gave him a look. "Presenting all the information at once, in an organized fashion may help us find weak spots, or areas where we are lacking information. Being organized can't hurt, and your other option is gnome duty…"

Ron nodded and looked thoughtful.

Harry addressed his mid-afternoon toast as he started his contributions. "Tom Marvolo Riddle, Hogwarts class of '52. He's scary looking, snake-like, with red eyes and no nose. He likes to make his followers bow to him, and send them out to torture and kill for him. It's not anything good."

Hermione dipped her quill, then talked. "He's distinctive, and doesn't blend, or try to blend. He sends out Death Eaters without him for most missions. He'd be less deadly without his followers, right?"

Ron nodded at this, and swallowed to clear his mouth. "Right. But he's still plenty evil. And deadly. He went on the important raids last time... and this time. The Potters, Madam Bones, just last week…"

Hermione looked around. "I was just thinking, if we start now, before he starts public recruiting... while he's still only got the remnants of his old Death Eaters, we could figure out a way to make serving him less appealing."

Harry looked interested "What, like publishing the Death Eater death and Cruciatus rate in the prophet?" Fred and George both smirked at that.

Ron huffed, "They'll never allow that."

"Plus, people will dispute your facts. Death Eaters don't tend to share their membership rolls." Fred was at least paying attention.

George was staring at the ceiling as if it had the secret to avoiding his mothers wraith. "Quibbler."

Harry spun his toast absentmindedly while sitting up straighter. "It would be out there, though, that you're signing up to be tortured by a madman and chased by Aurors. If even one person decided not to join, it would help."

George was still contemplating the ceiling when he responded. "Aurors aren't that scary to them. They only really risk being stupefied, and their buddies will revive them, like you lot noticed at the Ministry. Aurors have to follow their rules of engagement, and there's no Crouch this time around to allow Cruciating the suspects."

There was silence for a moment, while Hermione dipped her quill. "So what else do we know about Death Eaters?"

Harry studied the now disorderly pile of toast Molly had left for him, in her most recent attempt to plump him up. "They like anonymity- they wear masks. They work together on missions, but back-stab each other elsewhere. They attack at night."

Hermione wrote while she asked. "How do we know all that. Who's our source?"

Harry gave a little smile. "I can vouch for the masks. And the backstabbing comes from Snape and Moody. Although Snape called it 'vicious politicking.'"

Fred nodded. "We know the masks and attacking at night from the last war, too. Even at the height of it all, they preferred to not attack during the day." "They prefer to be the things that go bump in the night, I think you'd say." George added.

Hermione put her quill down. "Blank faces, attack at night, without warning, and with the mark there to show off what they've done. It's like they decided to become people's worst fears."

Harry nodded. "They have to -really- have to keep people afraid. They are outnumbered- by a lot- and if people though about it, they could fight back. But afraid, most wizarding folk keep their heads down, and Voldemort wins."

Harry was now dissecting his toast into perfect fourths. "So we need to make them less scary."

Ron gulped. "But, there's a reason they're scary. They're deadly."

"Or..." Hermione paused . "Or we give people hope, like the ministry has been trying to do with Harry. Or we give the death eaters a reason to be afraid of the dark..."

"How, though? By planting boggarts all around our houses?" Ron looked skeptical.

Fred sat up out of his slouch. "You know, that's not a bad idea at all, ickle Ronniekins. It would disturb them, and if they happen to scream like little girls at their worst nightmares, then we would have warning that they're coming."

Harry and Hermione were looking at each other across the table. They'd caught each others eyes, and were both looking serious, although Hermione had a glint of an epiphany in her eye.

"If you were to manufacture a Death Eater's worst nightmare, what would it look like?" Harry asked the table.

"Failure, and reporting back to Voldie." Fred pondered aloud.

Hermione shook her head. "What does that look like?" Fred shrugged.

Ron suggested "50 Mad-Eye Moodys."

Ginny smiled at that. "With enough polyjuice potion... But they'd notice which Mad-Eyes weren't vicious enough, and they'd pounce."

Hermione had stopped to shake her hand, when Fred charmed her quill to take dictation. "Fear of the unknown is supposedly the strongest fear, right? According to Muggle psychology, at least. Could we have invisible fighters? Wait, then how would they know to be afraid of us?"

George smiled "Could we mix visible and invisible. It would make the visible folks seem like super fighters. Symbolic, like Harry-who-lived, over there."

Ginny smiled. "Maybe if we gave them a bright Phoenix red cloak, so people couldn't help but look at them."

Harry was looking up, but still serious. "They'd have to be able to dodge like hell."

George spoke up. "Dedicated invisible shielders."

Hermione shook her head. "It wouldn't work in close quarters, people would notice the extra bodies. and how do you coordinate with your invisible helpers without giving them away...?"

Harry smiled. "Guerrilla warfare, attack from a distance, then fade away. and if they fear the red clock, once you take it off, you're not longer the hunter."

"Hunters... we're designing bogeymen for the Death Eaters to fear, aren't we?" Harry smiled at Hermione and nodded.

Hermione nodded. "Lets take the time to do this well, though, every type of shield charm we can on the cloaks. And, Fred, George, can we stick the hoods down without making people unable to see? The bogeyman NEEDS to be faceless, no matter how much they dodge or even is someone tries to summon the hood."

"We can work on that-" "-We already have the shield charm perfected from the stuff at the shop."

Hermione waved her hand over the table, then was silent. The others waited for her new brainstorm to form fully enough to be shared. "Harry, you know how it was annoying when Death Eaters revived each other? What if we fix that. What if Death Eaters just disappear around Hunters?"

Everyone at the table shifted and frowned. Harry exploded "Hermione, we're better then them! We can't go about killing-"

"Harry!" Hermione interrupted. "I was thinking of charming unbreakable jars ahead of time..."

Harry broke into a smile, then Ron joined him.

"Hermione, you truly are a genius."

Fred, George and Ginny looked confused. "Talk to us, littlest Bro-" " Tell us the secret."

"Well... It's Hermione's tale to tell..."

Hermione looked up from checking on the notes. "Oh wise, older twins, do tell me..." she smiled sweetly "how long can a non-animagus survive living as a transfigured beetle?"

"Mice would be better. They're still mammals..." Fred stopped talking to think and did a double take. "What did you three do?"

"We discouraged an unregistered animagus from spying."

"Using a jar?" George asked, looking surprised.

Ron looked proud. "You don't mess with Hermione."

Harry nodded. "Now we just have to teach the Death Eaters that."

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><p>Unbetaed, but hopefully edited enough. Please feel free to point out remaining errors I missed.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2: Preperation

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter, associated characters and setting belong to JK Rowling and whoever she chooses to share the rights with, which does not include me. This is for entertainment purposes only, with no copyright infringement intended, or profit made.

**Chapter 2: Preparation**

__Before anything else, preparation is the key to success. - Alexander Graham Bell__

The original planning session spawned a series of conversations, all based around any idea that could make their Hunters real. The teens kept having whispered conversations well out of the way of Molly's watchful eye.

ooo

Fred leaned against the tree, checking on the alignment of broom while he whispered to Hermione. "Hermione, Athena of Wisdom, do we have a better plan then disillusionment for the Invisabuddies?"

Hermione was pretending to read while pretending to watch quidditch. "Invisabuddies? That's not too bad of a name, really... for you. I was thinking of charming cloaks, again. Just charming people would lead to visible ripples."

Fred nodded. "Especially moving fast, or if the caster was distracted. Charmed cloaks wouldn't be perfect, but at night, from a distance..." Fred carefully tweaked a twig.

Hermione looked up to see Harry fumbling an apple. "Do you think they could carry both shield and disillusionment charms?"

"George and I could test that. At worst, it'll explode. Might be good, in fact. If we get too quiet, Mum'll suspect something."

Hermione nodded and added that to her list.

"I'll report back our findings soon, Sarge." Fred bounded off towards the pitch, leaving Hermione behind to squeak at his latest nickname.

ooo

That same night, Harry volunteered to dry while Hermione scrubbed dishes. They talked about Professor Slughorn, and Harry's impressions until the adult Weasleys went to join the others in the lounge. Once the noise had settled into a comfortable din, and the Wizarding Wireless had been turned on, they turned to each other and nodded.

Harry started. "How are we even going to know where they are?"

Hermione tilted her head. "We could lay traps, I guess, but Voldemort is really too insane to try to predict. And Bellatrix... well, I really don't want to try to 'know thy enemy' enough to guess how'd she'd react to leaked info."

"Right. And we don't have our own Snape, either."

"Professor Snape, Harry." She sighed. "I'm still worried about the team communicating among themselves. Voices will give people away."

"We can silence people, if they can cast silently," Harry thought out loud, "but that's dangerous, if things go bad."

Hermione nodded. " I wish phones and walkie-talkies were an option, but around magic, they're so unreliable."

"It's weird how some things, like phonographs, work, and others, like radio, have to be replaced with the wizarding equivalent-" She was interrupted by Celestina's backing banshees hitting a particularly high note, or at least trying. Both Harry and Hermione turned to look at the Wireless.

"Harry, I think you should go ask Mr. Weasley if you can take apart a muggle radio and a wizarding wireless together. We might learn something very useful."

Harry nodded, and turned off the wireless before getting a dry towel. "Just promise me any walkie-talkie- mobiles we make will have no banshees..."

Hermione laughed.

ooo

Hermione was reviewing her copy of _New Theory of Numerology_ when she was interrupted. "Shields and disillusion do not go well together. They steam, oh cap'tn mine, and turn translucent blue."

Hermione bit her lip as she crossed that off the list. "I wish we could test things here, but..."

"You're not of age, and really, 'tis a pity, you having to rely on us pranksters for your creative needs."

"Fred-" Hermione started.

"George" he stated firmly.

"But I gave that assignment to Fred."

"And I'm reporting back. Fred is off spiking Ron's juice to make his hair green."

Hermione looked like she wanted to ask, but caught herself, and carried on. "Right, whichever twin you are, your next assignment is to ask your father about what he used on that old car. It had an invisibility booster. How, why, and why did it fail, if you please."

"Yes, ma'am. How many inches of parchment?"

Hermione went back to her book and pointedly ignored both George and Ron's cries from the other room.

ooo

Hermione found a Witch's Weekly on her pillow, set open to a fashion spread on three-quarter length cloaks. A torn corner of parchment was tucked into it, with "tripping hazard" written in Ginny's handwriting. Hermione sighed, and added it to the list.

The article did feature a red cloak. To Hermione, the red, short cloak looked like it had escaped from a muggle fairy tale involving a wolf and... a hunter.

ooo

Mr. Weasley was delighted at the idea of Harry's comparative dissection project. He happily sacrificed the old WW he kept in the shed to listen to while twiddling. Harry asked the twins to find an old radio at the Sunday market in town, as close in size as they could.

Harry armed himself with a screwdriver, and asked Mr. Weasley "What's your weapon of choice for that? Do you hit it with an Alohomora, or a severing charm, or what?"

"I have no idea. I've only ever tried this on Muggle things, I never though to look at the innards of something I see every day." Mr. Weasley looked overjoyed, although Harry though the larger project might be the cause of that.

Mr. Weasley thought. "Let's start with a basic Finite and work our way up from there, eh? No need to be too keen."

It was only thirty minutes later when a loud boom and a pouf of smoke exited the shed, quickly followed by a gasping Harry and Mr. Weasley.

Molly Weasley, once assured of their health, simply smiled a small smirk and offered them a cuppa and a second lunch for Harry.

ooo

Hermione wrote two letters the next day.

_Professor Flitwick, _

_I know summer is your time away from students, and I was loath to interrupt your free, quiet, time, but I wanted to ask a question. Is the Enchanting of objects covered in Charms at the NEWT level? If so, (or even if not) is it possible for you to recommend some reading on the subject? _

_I'm asking on behalf of myself and also Harry. You see, Harry recently started wondering about the difference between Wizarding and Muggle wireless, since technology is said to not work around magic. He, with the assistance of a competent adult Wizard, attempted to take apart a WW to see how it worked, as one would with a muggle device. This met not only with little success, but the de-enchanting of the set, sadly, so we can study it no further. We suspect the manufacturers wish to keep their trade secrets, however curious students may be._

_I've recently realized how much of the wizarding world is the result of charms enchanted into objects. I'm hoping you can recommend some supplemental reading, to satisfy both Harry's and my curiosity._

_With Thanks, Your Student, _

_Hermione Granger_

_P. S. The owl is only going on to Professor McGonagall next, so don't let her convince you to spoil him._

Hermione had Harry and Ginny read her letter over, to make sure it sounded like typical Hermione, rather than Hermione who had watch too much James Bone recently.

Hermione also wrote Professor McGonagall, asking for book recommendations for extra reading on human transfiguration. She wrote that she's been excited about it since seeing Victor Krum's shark head during the Triwizard Tournament. Hermione only had Ginny read over that letter, before she quickly attached them both to Hedwig.

ooo

Ron joined Hermione while she watched the others play quidditch, tapping his broom. "Transport. We want to be able to get in and out, if we're thinking of using ambush tactics. They're in and out, too, so we need to be faster."

"What do they use?"

Ron tilted his head and thought. "They set up both apparition and portkey wards, and lurk at the edge, usually, from what I've heard." He shrugged. "If they vary that pattern at all, no one's mentioned it to me. Why would they tell us kids." He shrugged.

Hermione nodded. "If they lurk at the edge, we can come up behind them. It will take them time to get up a second set of wards, right?"

Ron nodded. "Those aren't easy. I've seen Bill do one, when the twin were studying for their licenses and popping about the house." He paused. "Also, we need to make sure that none of the manky Death Eaters fling a portkey at us, and kidnap our Hunter, like during the third task."

"Too bad you can't ward a person. Areas, yes... People, no." Hermione bit her lip.

Ron looked at her, confused. "Hermione, didn't Dumbledore use a Jinx, a Anti-Disapparation Jinx at the ministry? He used it straight on the Death Eaters."

Hermione raised her eyebrow. "Go play Quidditch. Harry and Gin are being murdered out there. I need to go look a few things up." Hermione closed her copy of Spellman's Syllabary and took off towards the Burrow and the rest of her books.

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><p><strong>AN<strong> Many thanks to (non-fanficer) Chasejyd who helped keep my dyslexia from taking over the story.

I apologize for the short chapters. They will likely get longer as I get used to updating. _kawaiiitahina123 -_ I'm sorry, but as this is my first fic, I really have no idea how often I'll be able to manage updates.


	3. Chapter 3: Destination

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter, associated characters and setting belong to JK Rowling and whoever she chooses to share the rights with, which does not include me. This is for entertainment purposes only, with no copyright infringement intended, or profit made.

**Chapter 3: Destination**

"MUS-kip-u-lae." "Heavy on the Mus." "It's an old mousetrap spell." "It stuns and summons a mouse to a container." "We thought you'd like, it, Hermione, dear." "Darling." "Cutest General of the Weasley Army..."

The twins, Harry, Hermione, Ginny and Ron were at the Burrow kitchen table once again. The twins had decided to only open for a half day on Mondays, making their mother's shopping day into the official meeting and plotting day.

Harry looked like a fanatical ping pong spectator, grinning heavily with his head on a pivot. Hermione was taking notes "Spell it, and pronounce it a few more times, please?"

"Sure, but you can look it up. It's in good-old pretty-boy Lockhart's book on household charms."

"That's in the attic, has been since the end on my first year." Ginny winced, and stood to retrieve the book from its exile in the attic.

Ron moved an arm to stop her. "Oi, do we really need that git's useless book?"

Hermione looked up. "The full description will be useful, to see if it can be modified and combined with the transfiguration. Fred, George, what color is it when cast?"

"Yellow, which is not good, we know." "But it does have a lovely rushing sound." "Which according to our memories of not-Moody's DADA class, is a good thing."

Hermione hummed. "Spell colors can be modified with Arithmancy or Runic additions. I'm more worried about merging the transfiguration into the mousetrap."

She looked up at the twins, and smiled. "Fred, talk to me about canary creams, since they don't seem to follow the rules of the books you bought for me."

"Ah, well, the books will tell you that humans transfiguration is done with an incantation and a wand wave. We use a time delayed spell infused into a potion. The transfiguration took a bit of work, but we weren't changing the person's size, so that made it easier. The potion made it wear off soon enough, too."

George nodded when his brother looked at him. "For your purposes, since you want them small, and you want them to stay mice, you want the original transfiguration, wand waving and all."

"Like not-Moody did with the Amazing Bouncing Ferret!" Ron smiled as he remembered that moment.

"Indeed, ickle Ronnikins."

"He didn't incant aloud. Does that help?" Ron was fondly remembering that day, with a slightly glazed look in his eye.

Hermione answered. "It does help. With the transfiguration possible silent, we can add a rune to-" she checked her notes "- muskilulae to make it green, instead of trying to merge the transfiguration incantation into it..."

Harry nodded, then started to shake his head. "It's still going to be a really hard piece of magic."

"You can do it, Harry. With enough practice and a good enough reason, you can learn anything. You don't have to learn all human transfiguration right now, just a mouse. Remember summoning charms, fourth year. We'll practice it until we all can cast it."

"Or you'll find a dragon to threaten me with until I can turn it into a mouse?" Harry laughed.

Hermione tilted her head. "Do you think the Room of Requirements could produce one for us?"

Harry sat up quickly, and opened his mouth, then stopped.

George laughed at the sight. "Bad Hermione. No Harry torture."

Hermione shrugged. "I do wonder about the capabilities of that room."

ooo

Harry's birthday brought an influx of packages to the Burrow. Most went down to the living room, to wait until there was cake, however Fred and George snuck a few directly up into Ron's room.

"Cloaks,two, short and red, as agreed upon." Fred slid a package under Ron's bed.

"Cloaks, long, for disillusionment, five. All lightweight, so we may get cold if we're not dodging fast enough. They're all tall enough for us, so they'll fit Ronnikins even if he keeps doing his weed impression." George slid another brown paper package under Harry's camp-bed.

Fred raised an eyebrow. "He's a growing boy."

George looked back at his twin. "That explains his eating habits."

Fred smiled. "Don't weeds like fertilizer?"

George looked back at his twin. "That explains his eating habits."

"Oi, prats." Ron started motioning the twins out of his room.

ooo

Hermione plopped down next to Ron on the couch. "Hi, are we safe to talk?"

"Hi, Hermione, nice to see you too, how have you been?" Ron muttered under his breath.

Hermione ignored the muttering and looked around. "I've been just great in the last 3 hours since we talked at lunch."

"Fine, what's on your mind?"

"I don't want to bring up bad memories, but I wanted to ask you a few questions. How did you go about caring for Scabbers? Did you keep him in a cage?"

"Ugg, Scabbers. -Umm, can we just call him Percy's rat for this conversation? He was free roaming, but spent most of his time in a box up in my room."

"That's not going to work for our mice. I guess we could get one cage at the Magical Menagerie in Diagon ally, and transfigure a bunch of outer things into cages, but..."

"But you worry that our transfigurations wouldn't last, or be as secure."

"Exactly."

They both stopped to think.

"Fred and George were breeding little pink... things last I heard. I bet those live in cages. Ask them."

" I feel bad making the twins do so much work..."

"As soon as we set foot on the train, we can help, until then, they'll be glad to help. It's not like Mum'll let us floo off to the Alley for a stroll when we feel like it."

"True."

They both fell silent, again.

"Hermione," Ron asked, "Now that we've thought of cages, what about mouse food, and where are we going to keep them. Twenty or thirty mice are not going to fly under the radar at Hogwarts..."

"Damn. Where's my list?"

ooo

"Harry..." Hermione and Harry were lying on their backs watching clouds fluff by. "Harry, I know you hate it, but you're a symbol." She rolled slightly so she could see his reaction.

"Yes, so I've been told." Harry flopped his head towards her. He was in a post Quidditch energy lull, hence agreeing to cloud-watching.

"Well, if you're an effective symbol, you need to be seen."

"One would assume."

"That means, Harry, that you can't always be running around in a cloak with a permanent sticking charm."

Harry sat up. "Bollocks! I'm... Hermione, I'm not going to ask anyone to do anything I can't do, and you're telling me I can't do this plan."

"Harry, I'm telling you you're more strategically useful in another part of the plan. And you're not asking us, we're volunteering."

Harry looked at her hard. "Who? Who would be playing target?"

"Fred and I both volunteered, once we got to that point in the conversation. George and Ron both think they're better shielders. Ginny wants to be a hexer. We can train for more then one spot, and trade based on who's feeling better..."

Harry's face lost it's angry edge, his eyes moving towards sad. "And my job? Useless figurehead?"

"Either a symbol to split their fire, or a hexer, since you can duel. You're not useless Harry. We're in this together."

ooo

Thursday evening brought an unofficial Order gathering in the Burrow kitchen. Since the teens had been displaced, they had an impromptu fashion show in Harry and Ron's room. They played exploding snap loudly, and Mrs. Weasley walked past the open door once, before avoiding the ruckus.

The cloaks to be charmed for disillusion were tried on first. Ginny's had to be pinned up three times, leading to Ron calling her a runt, and Ginny bribing George with a chocolate frog to bat-bogey him. Ron's was long enough, and Harry's only needed one fold at the hands and hem.

Harry smiling sadly, handed a red cloak to Fred, who put it on equally somberly. The ritual silence lasted for ten seconds, before everyone realized Fred was wearing a teen witches cloak. It was too tight in the shoulders, loose where he lacked a bust, and the hem ended at mid thigh, not to mention the red clashed with his hair. It was, in a word, ridiculous.

The whole group laughed hysterically for ages, and was finally managing to settle down, with Ron complaining about his cheeks hurting, and Ginny griping about lack of breath, when they heard the noise from the door.

Tonks was leaning on the doorjamb, her hair red to match the cloak. "Wotcher, Fred. I don't want to know, do I?"

They all looked at each other. "He lost a bet." Ginny piped up, to cover them. "He had to try on Hermione's new Quidditch Fan cloak and say the lines from this muggle bedtime story - 'Mini red riding cloak' I think it was."

Tonks laughed. "Little Red Riding Hood. My dad told me that one. Fred, watch out for cross-dressing wolves, and you should be fine."

Fred's face turned a little green at that comment, but he wasn't a Gryffindor for nothing. "Anything I should know about Remus, then, before I get this silly thing off?"

Tonks' hair went from Red to violet as she sputtered. The teens all started laughing again, and Fred took off the cloak. When she finally recovered, Tonks smiled. "Good one, Fred. I was sent off to tell all you lovely kiddies to go to bed, or at least stop making enough noise that we can talk in peace in the kitchen. So... who hasn't finished their homework?"

ooo

A.N. I apologize for the last chapter lacking section breaks when it was first posted. I've fixed that (and ten other typos) and now know what Fanfiction will allow, and what it likes to cut out. Sorry for the Noob mistake.


	4. Chapter 4: Perspiration

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter, associated characters and setting belong to JK Rowling and whoever she chooses to share the rights with, which does not include me. This is for entertainment purposes only, with no copyright infringement intended, or profit made.

**Chapter 4: Perspiration **

It was Monday afternoon again. This time Molly left Harry his toast pre-covered with homemade strawberry jam. Since homemade jam was too good to waste, he handed out his toast to the others to share. The newly independent twins displayed their appreciation of free food by taking two slices each.

Hermione lead the conversation once again. "Where could we hide thirty or more mice without anyone noticing?"

Ron shrugged, and looked at the rest of them. Ginny thought. "The Room of Requirement is too exposed. Anywhere at Hogwarts is, when you think about it. And we won't have constant access to anywhere else..."

Hermione shook her head. "We wouldn't have constant access to Hogwarts, either, since we have vacations. Fred and George's place would be the only thing we really could get to 24 / 7, but it's obvious, and central. If their involvement got out, it'd be checked. "

"Hermione, we – um..." Harry tried to start. Hermione looked over at him, and waited. "When you first asked where we could hide lots of mice without anyone noticing, I thought of Grimauld Place, since no one could tell the native mice from the new vermin. It – ahhh – it took me a while to remember that I own it now."

"Which is great, Harry, but how do we get there? You agreed to let the Order keep using it. They'll notice if we wander through when we're supposed to be at Hogwarts."

Fred nodded then shook his head. "Students these days... George, they're just not as trained in silence and sneaking as we were, back in our glory days."

George smiled, and looked off into the distance, reliving grandiose memories of last year. "Back in the golden days, we snuck about, silent and unseen as house elves."

Harry looked up and said "Dobby!" just as Hermione yelled "Winky!" They looked at each other, and laughed, as the two elves pooped into existence.

"Master Harry Potter called Dobby, sir?" Dobby asked. Winky looked at Hermione with her eyes nearly covered by her ears "Mistress Granger called Hogwarts elf Winky?"

Harry smiled at them both. "Hermione and I were just discussing a job that needs to be done at the house I just inherited. We both came up with the idea of a house elf at the same time. We called your names as ideas of who could help us, not intending to call you. But thanks for coming."

Hermione continued. "If you are both happily employed at Hogwarts, we could find a different elf in need of a job, but if either of you wants a change- "

Hermione was interrupted by Winky "Winky does. Winky really does wants a family, if she can't have her old family..."

Dobby nodded. "Dobby thanks the Masters, but thinks Winky would do better with the family."

Harry smiled at Winky. "It will be a lot of work. The house is old, and the last house elf stopped cleaning long before he finally betrayed the family."

Dobby and Winky both gasped. Their eyes seemed to get even more impossibly big.

Harry nodded. "It's been hard. My godfather got hurt because of him. He's banned from the house, now."

Dobby nodded. "Bad Elf should be."

Winky bobbed her head fast. "Winky will be better. Winky will serve. Winky will clean and cook and serve."

"Winky, I do want you to cook an clean and serve my guests, who meet there, but I also need you to come when I call, and take care of a few projects without telling the rest of them, can you do that?"

"If Winky's Master wants, Winky is happy to do. Winky would do anything for her Master."

"You don''t mind taking care of pet mice, do you?"

"Winky would be happy to feeds, and waters, and cleans the micies."

Harry smiled at her. "Thanks, that will help us a lot. Can I call on you two tomorrow, with a a full list of what I need and what I can offer you? Winky, would you mind Dobby's help?"

Dobby nodded. "We tells Dumbles that we found a family, then?"

Harry laughed. "You can tell Dumbles that Miss Hermy thought Winky would do better with a family sized home and set of responsibilities..."

Dobby nodded, and popped out. Winky waited a few more seconds, then curtsied to Harry, then Hermione, and left.

"Harry, you can have them clean out a portion of the basement for the mice, have it beyond where they live, and none of the wizards in the Order will brave their way through."

Harry looked at her. "Not the attic? It's pretty unused?"

"They're keeping owls up there. Our Death Eaters would be owl pellets before we noticed."

Ginny pulled a face. "Ewww- just think of the indigestion Bellatrix would give some poor bird."

Ron looked at Hermione's poised quill. "You should tell Dobby and Winky that they ate not allowed to clean anything visible from the foyer. It will be better for everyone's sanity if they are never seen by the portrait."

Hermione nodded. "We can have them build up supplies, slowly. Have each of them buy a week worth of preserved food each week. It shouldn't raise any eyebrows that way. After all, wizards who own house elves don't pick out their own vegetables, do they?"

Harry snorted, and let out a sound that was close to a giggle. When Ron raised his eyebrow at him, he simply said "Malfoy... in curlers... picking out onions..."

Fred and George laughed along with the rest of the table, and then looked at each other. "Have them pick up the bulk rodent food from us." "No one is going to stop to ask us why we want it." "And if they do, we can think of a reason to tell them..."

ooo

Hermione received an owl from Flitwick the next day, with a list of enchanting books, from 'My First Enchantment' all the way to the Mastery level texts. Professor Flitwick suggested that Hermione and Harry start with the middle level books, but had included the others for their unnamed adult companions. He had even taken to the trouble to point out which were easily available from which owl order sources, as he understood Harry's summer safety limited mobility. Hermione appreciated the Ravenclaw's thoughtful nature.

When Hermione told the table excitedly about her newest acquisitions-to-be, Molly insisted they couldn't be delivered to the Burrow, as it could give someone a way into the house.

Hermione thought for a moment, and then turned to Mr. Weasley, and asked if she could have them delivered to him at work, sending the packages through the Ministry's wards to check them.

He gleefully agreed to bring them home. Molly looked like she wanted to object, but as Hermione's plan didn't seem likely to explode the Burrow, or let strange owls into the wards, she kept the peace.

ooo

After dinner, the twins came to tell Hermione that they had found a book she had asked for. She looked at them with a raised eyebrow. Their shoulders were slumped, their heads down, and they lacked their usual vibrating energy.

"Why so glum when reporting a successful mission, boys?"

"It's the book about the Anti portkey jinx."

"We're very sorry, but we don't think it's going to work for anything other then temporary containment of future mice."

"Permanent casting is iffy. They tried to cast it on cuffs for prisoners, but if you cast it on metal and wear it on the skin, it's active. Any fabric barrier means it's not active. The Aurors kept loosing people when they got their sleeve cuffs inside their handcuffs."

Hermione looked up, and smiled. "Thanks, boys. That's a very nice on and off switch. Everyone needs pendants."

Harry, looking over from the chess board, suggested "We could turn our DA coins into them?"

Ron "It's a good cover story, wearing those for sentimental reasons, but we might need those as meeting locators too."

Hermione smiled at the boys. "I think it's better if we don't match. We don't want to give people a reason to suspect the necklaces of anything. Or us, either."

.o.o.o.

Dodging practice donned bright and early on Wednesday morning. It was Ron's ideas, and he was running it under the false premise of a summer Quidditch boot camp. Supposedly, he was practicing for what he intended to do to the Gryffindors later in the year.

Ron put Harry and Ginny on a line in the apple orchard, and placed Hermione flanked by twins ten meters away. He'd gathered baskets of crab-apples for them to fling.

Ron positioned himself where Harry and Ginny could see him, and Hermione couldn't, then counted down from five fingers to none. Harry flung a crab-apple straight at Hermione, and she dodged. Unfortunately, she dodged straight into Fred.

George raised an eyebrow and looked at Fred trying to untangle himself from Hermione, and said "Needs work."

Ginny nodded, and ran off towards the main house. She returned a moment later, with three muggle hula hoops she had liberated from her dad's shed.

After making Hermione demonstrate what they're supposed to be for, and the entire group commenting on how red Hermione's face got, which only made it get more red, Ginny gave each of the dodgers a hoop.

"There, now you each have area of your own, you have the width of the hoop to dodge. If you dodge out of hoop, it'll lead to interference with others."

The group took turns as dodgers, throwers, and countdown man. They found that dodging via leaning, turning, and general conservation of movement was harder then big leaps, but learn-able.

Somehow, about the time that Ron's stomach started growling, Fred managed to tackle George from two hoops away.

Harry smiled. "I think he would have preferred the crab-apple, mate. Also, I think four hours of dodging is one hour too many."

A sweating Hermione looked up at him from her hoop, where she was down on one knee. "You're just saying that because your arm is tired."

"That too."

Ron blew his Quidditch referee whistle. "That is enough for today, though. Lets all take a break for showers. Consider yourselves to have dodged well enough that you get to live to dodge again tomorrow morning."

Ginny got up slowly from her cool patch of grass. "At least Mum will believe you're working us into the ground up here."

ooo

With the arrival of the enchanting books, Harry and Mr. Weasley spent quality bonding time in the shed, sometimes joined by the twins.

They were working on reverse engineering a muggle radio, wanting it to act like a Wizarding Wireless.

Harry was in charge of reading off all the bits of the muggle radio, and telling Mr. Weasley what they did (thanks in large part to a 'how things work' book of Hermione's). Mr. Weasley then looked through all the enchanting books, finding magical equivalents. They got mired for a few days, knowing that they were close, and that they had all the needed bits, but not getting anything to tune in.

Thankfully, with Hermione's note taking and some fidgeting, they actually manged to transfigure, charm and enchant a block of wood and a handful of screws into something that could listen to WWN.

Admittedly, it was a very ugly something to pick up WWN. They found the frequency only after trying one hundred and thirty six other combinations. WW didn't have a simple scanner like Harry and Hermione were used to.

Hermione copied the notes, saying both she and Harry could turn something in for charms based on it, for extra credit.

Mrs. Weasley smiled, and told them to keep up the good work.

Harry smiled, and once away with Hermione, started talking bout ways to find a different frequency for their own walkie-talkies.

ooo

Soon enough, it was the day of the big school supply shopping trip. Mrs. Weasley was worrying. Mr. Weasley was excited to look at more books on enchanting. The kids all had their list of Hogwarts supplies, and Hermione and the Twins had lists of other things that they needed.

Fred and George had provided the Weasley kids with 'spending' money, which was only to be used for 'mouseketeer' needs. While Fred and George threatened Ron away from using it on Quidditch supplies, Harry and Hermione tried to figure out how the twins knew about 1960's Disney. They gave up when Harry sighed and said 'it's the twins."

They did manage to convince the adults to let them split up, so long as all the kids were together, and they took Tonks. They stopped off at a booth that had silver and copper pendants, and started suggesting ones that would be 'just perfect' for each other and their friends. Harry noticed one, and had to comment. "Hermione, dear, they have your otter here, that would look lovely, don't you think?"

Ron chimed in "It's all ripply and silver, just like _your_ otter."

The group got everyone one to match their _Patronus_. They also got a few gifts, for the DA and for others. Harry got Remus a copper wolf. Fred and George kept paying. When Ron asked why they were ok with paying, not only for the necklaces, but for other things, they said their 'silent' partner was paying.

Harry nodded.

Hermione looked at Harry, then figured it out, and nodded.

Ron looked quietly confused.

Ginny's eyes grew as she figured it out.

Ron got louder as he was still confused. Fred dragged him away from Tonks, just as Ron asked "How could your silent partner agree to pay for something no one knows about. It's just us that know about the project."

Fred started hitting his head into wall.

George sent a pleading look at Harry from behind Tonks back.

Harry smiled at Ron, and told him quietly "My Triwizard tournament winnings were invested in the twins' shop. That was their start up money. It's useful, since the twins make money, and are willing to give out a third of it, since no one will give me my vault key."

When Ginny had kidnapped Tonks into the ladies underthings section, George smiled, and hugged Harry, calling him 'partner'.

Fred took the time to go through the list while Tonks was off helping Ginny with her unmentionables. "Cages, jars, pouches for jars. Check. All to be charmed. Cloaks, to be charmed. Check. Necklaces to be charmed. Check." He stopped to smile. "You lot will be busy first thing back in the land of magic users, won't you."

Harry managed to get enough leverage to rescue himself from George just before Tonks came back, and nodded at Fred.

Hermione smiled. "Don't worry. I have a plan."

ooo

**AN ** House elves are harder to write than I'd thought. Also, hockey is distracting.


	5. Chapter 5: Activation

**Disclaimer:**Harry Potter, associated characters and setting belong to JK Rowling and whoever she chooses to share the rights with, which does not include me. This is for entertainment purposes only, with no copyright infringement intended, or profit made.

**Chapter 5: Activation**

Molly should have known her children were conspiring when they managed to get out the door on the way to the train station on time.

Hermione declared that they wanted a compartment away from the prefects, loos, or either end of the train, and they wanted to be sure it was locked and secure before people started compartment hopping and visiting. And when Hermione said something was essential, and reminded you to pack four times, well, it was easier to just go along.

As soon as they said their goodbyes and got on the train, they picked a compartment, and started casting spells to secure it. The Hogwarts Express was essential to Hermione's plans, since it wasn't monitored as underage magic, nor was it under Dumbledore's wards. And Hermione pointed out that underage magic monitoring was done by place, like 4 Privet Drive, rather then by wand, since Dobby didn't use one. So whoever found all their spells would be able to track them as far as the train tracks, and no further.

Once they felt the initial jolt of movement, they started a flurry of magic. Cloaks were brought out and charmed. Anti-portkey jinx's were applied to pendents. Pouches were charmed to carry many jars. Jars were charmed to be unbreakable. Hermione checked things off her list.

Harry turned to look at her. "Why did I just charm 15 cloaks?"

Ron laughed. "Because Hermione told you to, and you didn't think to question her."

Hermione smiled. "Because I put that many on the list. It's easier to make sure we get them right if we do them all at once."

"But who are they for. We don't need that many, unless they're spares."

"We should consider recruiting. Neville and Luna would train up the way we ask, no questions asked. I do wish Tonks wasn't already committed."

"Committed?" Ron looked confused.

"She's sworn her loyalty to both the Aurors and to the Order. Both would think that what we're doing should be reported. As much as I like her, and think she's nice, I don't want to put her in a tough spot. And trying to decide whether or not to rat us out to Dumbledore would be a tough spot."

They had locked themselves in their compartment so hard that they didn't hear the snack cart. Hermione had even made them cover the windows saying 'wizards rarely consider that windows are a weak possible entry point. Besides, flashes of spells are identified by color, and Aurors have brooms.' Only Tonks banging panickedly on the door told them they had arrived at Hogwarts. Hermione had warned them of the time, and they all had their robes on and their contraband hidden in time to open the door.

On the way up to the carriages, they told her about Malfoy's annual visits on the train, and his use of prefect powers. Harry explained that Hermione had convinced him that playing turtle was the wise course. Tonks argued a bit, since Malfoy, also, stayed in his compartment.

Hermione smirked. "Maybe he's learning?"

"Maybe he's up to something..."

"Harry, don't be paranoid." Hermione waited until the carriage door was closed to add "It's us that's up to something."

ooo

They settled in as a group to watch the sorting, and await the feast. Gryffindor had left them seats at the end nearest the teachers, near where the new first years would sit. As they walked along Gryffindor, Neville literally fell into the group. Hermione caught him and invited him to sit up with them, where they'd all be trying to get seated at the same time.

As the first years were led in, Harry turned to whisper in Neville's ear. "Good to see you again mate. You going okay after last spring?"

"Got a new wand. Gran told me I reminded her of my Da, standing up for us like that."

"Good on you, then. The wand should help you."

"You doing DA again?"

Harry looked around, and lifted an eyebrow at Hermione. She nodded, as did Ron.. "If we do, it'll be as a cover for the game we've got afoot. Can't really talk here, you know."

Neville nodded and looked up. Harry joined the Great Hall in applauding, as he asked out loud "What'd the hat say?"

Hermione smiled, and looked somewhat like Crookshanks when canary creams were introduced, a cat with a really big tasty bird. "The Sorting Hat warned us all against just going with the status quo. It reminded us that lack of choice is still a choice, and every house can be proactive. Slytherins can actively plot, Gryffindors rush into the fray, Hufflepuffs work to change the world, Ravenclaw planning to save the day."

Ron grinned. "We're not to be lazy, either. The Hat thinks we Gryffindors should boldly charge into our studies."

Harry nodded. "Practical, and something we all needed to hear, I'm sure."

Ginny smiled. "It makes about as much sense out of context as usual. I''m sure the Hat seems smarter if you look back at it's songs from twenty years later."

After the meal, Harry hung back to watch Ginny give Luna a hug and ask a few questions about her summer. Since Ginny had cast a privacy charm, all he could hear was buzzing, but he know it was approximately the same conversation he'd had with Neville.

Just as it was wrapping up, Professor Snape came sweeping down from the Head table. Harry moved to block his view of the conversation, and of Ginny's wand. As he hugged Luna, and wished her a good night and good new year, he could feel Snape's glare boring into his back. When he turned and motioned Ginny towards the first of the stairs, he tried not to glare back. Only guilty students are nervous, right...

ooo

Hermione and Harry reported to Flitwick's office with their radio notes during their first free period. Harry muttered about how he hoped Flitwick would be there. Hermione stated that she knew he would be. When Harry asked how, Hermione mentioned updating her class schedule with office hours for professors, habitually.

After a rather squeaky greeting and a cup of tea each, Hermione handed over their enchanting notes and papers, and Harry, for his extra credit, started transfiguring and charming old marked up parchment from Flitwick's trash into a WWN. Flitwick appeared enthralled, watching Harry's work while Hermione narrated. As they turned it on and got the Witching Hour in all its debatable glory, Flitwick started clapping. "Outstandings all around, and as a reward for your curiosity and thoroughness, you both get a get-out-of-homework-pass, good for one paper."

Hermione looked distressed at the mere thought. Harry asked instead if they can keep asking him questions throughout the year. They want to keep up the project.

Hermione started to recover from her distress, and nodded. "There's so much to learn, still. If only we had a workspace and supplies..."

Harry laughed. "Hermione could take over the wizarding world with a workshop and a few paperclips, I'm sure."

Flitwick offered them the classroom they used during the Tri-wizard cup, and full access to any debris and paperclips the house elves could spare.

Harry stepped on Hermione's foot at the mention of house elves, thanked Flitwick for the room, and the help over the summer, and hauled Hermione out and down the hallway.

"That went well..."

"Honestly, a get out of homework pass. One would have a gap in any revising, not to mention a gap in one's studies."

"It's okay, Hermione, I bargained him down to paperclips. You still have to do all your work."

Ron, who had caught up to them for this last bit, muttered 'house elves' under his breath as he walked behind them.

ooo

Hermione activated the DA coin the first full day of classes, calling for a Thursday afternoon meeting in the great hall, just 30 minutes before dinner.

The confused DA members wandered in and sat at the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables. More then a few of them seemed bemused to be meeting out in the open after the lengths they'd gone through to hide the year before.

Hermione stood up and started passing out papers. "This is a simple petition that asks Hogwarts and the Ministry to allow Apparition lessons to younger years, for emergency escapes. If you don't mind, I'd like your help getting this out to every student."

Harry stood up. "I'm all for this. Is anyone against or, or anyone have questions?"

There was a moment of silence. Harry smiled. "I'll take that as an unanimous vote for it".

Hermione stood again. "Each of you have a page, which you can gather signatures on. Bring it back to my copy, and it will and merge back into the main one. Get as many signatures as you can before Monday. The Head Boy and Girl and the Slytherin Prefects will also have copies, but feel free to get signatures from any house. Don't worry about overlap. The main copy will sort out duplicates and fake signatures."

Ron and Harry watched carefully as she handed out those extra pages at Thursday dinner, in case Malfoy wanted to misbehave. Professor McGonagall came down to see what they were up to, and Hermione gave her a page, in case she wanted to help gather signatures. As she read through the statement at the top, the Professor stopped scowling and started to smile a bit, and she didn't take any points for Hermione being out of place.

ooo

The group's first weekly meeting was held in the Room of Requirement. They spent the night turning each other into mice and eating the toast Harry had brought. Hermione helped Neville and Luna catch up and gave them twenty pages on the training regiment and plan.

As Ron left to make a run to the kitchen for chocolate biscuits he saw the back corner of Snape's billowing robes in the seventh floor stairwell.

They decided Snape's presence so far from the dungeons was a bad sign. They held their second 'Monday' meeting on a Tuesday night in the chamber of secrets. It was a rather creepy place to practice mice to human transformations and jar handling, and Ron said he couldn't be bribed back down for toast or chocolate biscuits.

They held their third 'Monday' meeting under a willow down by the lake on a Saturday afternoon. It was a popular snogging spot. Normally, one just put a scarf in the tree as a signal for privacy. Hermione put up a scarf, and then added 14 spells, including one to hide the others.

The others let Hermione start. "We need outside eyes. We can't fight them if we don't know where they are, and we can't find them from in here."

Ron nodded. "The twins will help, but they're stuck at the shop most of the time, and not able to wander about looking for attacks.".

Harry smiled. "Our radios are ready. Hermione and I brought enough for all of us, and we got some made for the twins. We'll send them via Hedwig from the Shrieking Shack, later."

Hermione nodded. "We've managed to make some that only have one frequency. They work like a speed dialed muggle telephone."

Harry took the thread of the report back. "If the rest of you don't mind, we were thinking about sending a batch out to Lee Jordan. I have a few marked as for who they go to, like Alicia Spinnet and Angelina, but most of them will be for whoever he runs into that's on our side and can work the things. If he see's Oliver Wood, or whoever, he can hand them a little radio, and tell them how to use it."

Hermione nodded. "I'm sending one to my parents, since they aren't likely to report me to Dumbledore. We've put instructions in for Lee. He's to tell people 'Hide, run away, press the button. Tell them where you just apparated from. Don't be stupid, don't be seen.' I think most people will be okay with the idea of an unofficial Death Eater report line."

"Especially the younger ones, or those with muggle experience. Muggles have hotlines for all sorts of things. Sirius..." Harry paused. "Sirius had a hotline, when they were calling him an escaped prisoner."

Hermione cleared her throat, and started teaching Ron how to pass the radio over his ear three times to hear it, then put it in his pocket.

Harry looked up at the group. "Keep your supplies ready at all times, now. Know where to meet. Keep your radios on.. The twins are ready to apparate us to any location in England, and Hermione's got us studying the apparition manual."

He sighed. "Now all there is to do is wait.

* * *

><p>AN Speaking of waiting, sorry, but there is hope. Chapter 6 is at Beta, 7 is 80 percent done, and I've got 1000 words of chapter 8.<p> 


	6. Chapter 6: Application

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter, associated characters and setting belong to JK Rowling and whoever she chooses to share the rights with, which does not include me. This is for entertainment purposes only, with no copyright infringement intended, or profit made.

**Chapter 6: Destination**

The first call to come in was a question rather then a report. At dinner on the third Thursday of term. all the hunters tilted their heads at once, as Lee's radio activated. "Do known Death Eaters not actively being Death Eatery count as reportable?"

Harry was sitting between Hermione and Ron. Hermione 'accidentally' dropped her Runes book, and asked Harry to pick it up for her. He assumed she meant the call as well as the book.

"Which Death Eater, where, in how much company?" Harry asked back, under his breath. He was quiet enough that Hermione heard him through the radio rather then via his voice.

"Avery. He's out drinking at the pub down by Ilkley Moor. There's no game on tonight, so it's quiet. Looks like he's trying to get pissed on the quiet."

"Thanks for the info. Stay safe."

"He's just ordered another two pints, so you lot don't have to run."

There was a click of wand on wood, and then fuzz before the headsets turned off.

Hermione gasped, shouted 'transfiguration' loud enough for half the gryffindors to hear, and grabbed Harry and Ron. The gryffindors had seen Hermione's sprints to the library often enough to not even comment.

Luna wandered over to the bench now available near Ginny, sat down, and promptly spilled her pumpkin juice on Ginny. Neville helped clean up the excess on the table and bench, but suggested she get her clothes to the House Elves as soon as possible.

Ginny left dinner midway to change, and didn't draw McGonagall's eye for more then a second.

Snape noted the lack of students only when he lacked his usual glaring targets.

ooo

Fred and George grabbed them, taking them side-along in shifts. George came back for the last, Hermione, while Fred went to scout.

"Our boy is feeling like easy prey today. He's stumbling, drunk, and alone. The hardest part will be hitting him while he's walking in a zigzag. He's taking a left."

Hermione leaned up against the corner of the building, pretending to fix her lipstick while she watched his reflection in the mirror.

"Even better, I think he's going to come say hi to you. Get him around the corner, and mouse him!"

Avery must have been drunker the Fred though, since he did indeed duck into the alley Hermione and friends were guarding, but he didn't seem to see her there. He was, apparently, planning to take advantage of a wall.

As soon as Hermione heard him starting to shuffle the front of his robes, she hit him. and had a jar out in her other hand.

"Can we disapperate from here?"

"Sure." Lets get going."

"Fred, twin-of-mine, try both Ronnikins and Harry-who-answers-the-radio. If you can do it in one trip, do."

"If you just want to take two a few miles, do it. Lets not be here." Hermione grabbed George who was already holding Ginny and they popped.

The others got to the Shack about the same time. Ginny and Ron tripped over each other trying to sit down on a chair at the same time.

Harry laughed. "If the worst that happened is Ron twisting his ankle because he forgot to beware invisible people, we've done good."

Ginny took down her hood. "I have to get back. I'm changing my robes after a Luna attack with pumpkin juice."

Hermione looked at Ron and Harry. "There really is a transfiguration paper. But it's about conjuring sugar mice, and their gross anatomy. I assume you two can cope with that?"

"Ah, papers for McGonagall. It's good to be a drop out, isn't it, brother dearest?"

"Indeed."

Hermione looked down at the jar in her hand, which now contained a drunken mouse and a rather lot of mouse pee. "Harry, please call Winky. I want Avery filed now."

Harry called "Winky, please come soon, but when others won't notice."

Hermione smiled at him. "At least you said please."

Winky popped in. "Winky is here. Winky said that there was a rattling in the attic, and we might have a ghoul moving in. The other Masters let Winky take care of it."

Harry took the jar from Hermione, and gave it to Winky. "Winky, this is a mouse named Avery. His cage has to be labeled exactly that, okay?"

"Yes Master Harry. Anything else?"

"Umm... Avery the Mouse might need a mouse sized dose of sobering potion..."

Winky tilted her head at Harry, but after a moment, said "Winky can do that." She popped off.

Harry laughed. "I never thought I'd have a reason to say that. Let's get back."

Dinner was almost over when they got back to the Great Hall, but Snape was still there, and watched them take their seats.

Ron grinned. "Look, we're just in time for pudding."

Snape stopped watching when the rest of Gryffindor did. No one wanted to see Ron put four chocolate biscuits in his mouth at once.

ooo

During Herbology, Hermione's radio started buzzing. Then she heard a faint "Is it on?"

"Something to report?"

"This is... this is Angelina, from the reception area of the Ministry. Walden Macnair is on the list, right?"

"Yes."

"He's been sent off to the Welsh Green grounds in the Brecon Beacons. He's on his own. He said he's be coming back late, around 7:30."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome.

Hermione handed her prepped pot of soil to Neville, and watched him wrestle a Chinese Chomping Cabbage into it. She tapped he wand to the radio on her belt, back under her robes.

"Did you lot hear that?"

"Yeah. Fred's off looking up the coordinates of the main gate. We can get you there."

"Thanks, George. I was thinking we lie in wait for him to leave the reserve. You guys are closed after six, right?"

"Yup."

"This is Ginny, I can't make it, nor can Ron."

"Quidditch?"

"We'll make excuses for Harry, since we're really only training up the new beaters."

"Are they any good?"

"George, they're horrible. Now lets meet at 6:45, and lets shut up. Hermione hates being distracted in class."

"Thanks, Harry."

"I want your notes, thus it's a selfish interest of mine, keeping you happy."

"And now you can shut up too." Hermione lowered her silencing ward, and went to help Neville remove a cabbage from Dean's nose.

ooo

Harry stood there, looking at the jar in his hand. The the rest of them, it looked like a jar floating in mid air. "Death Eaters late for supper are easy prey."

"Get the jar hidden, let's get out of here, and let's get our own supper."

"Sorry about that, side-along apparition on an empty stomach makes George cranky." Fred's hands appeared, reaching for where Harry-who-held-the-jar and Ron were.

Hermione played blind man's bluff over towards George's hula hoop. "Harry, think sneaking them into the castle for food would be good cover us not being visible?"

"Sure. Lets have them for a picnic by the lake. It's a nice day, and yet it's out of the way, in case someone was looking for us and couldn't find us."

Hermione nodded. "When we get-" Pop! "George, warn me!"

The disembodied voice next to Hermione spoke in George's voice. "Standard operating procedure says we don't discuss dinner plans while waiting about for someone to notice a Death Muncher is missing. Besides, hungry."

Hermione sighed. "Harry, call Winky, ask her for a picnic, and trade off our mouse."

Harry asked "Not the Hogwarts elves?"

She shook her head. "No, they'll give it away that we didn't ask ahead of time."

"Where are we now, Fred?" Harry was quiet, but serious.

"Tinworth, why?"

"I see a Death Muncher mask... Three."

"Only three? Anyone else see anyone?"

"It looks like just the three. They're trying to break the wards over there."

"Hermione, count down from five, we fire on zero."

"Five-"

"Everyone, to your battle hoops." Fred voice was somehow grim and cheerful.

"Four, Three-"

"Guys, lets just grab who we can on the first round and get out. I don't like letting them chose the field, or our lack of recon."

"Agreed."

"Two, one."

"Jars."

"Fire." Hermione's voice was loud enough that one of the three turned around just before he was hit by the green beam and rushing wind. His scream was cut off, as were his companions, but there were yells coming from the other side of the house.

Fred and George didn't stick around to see if those were other Death Eaters or not. They grabbed their charges and popped off towards Scotland.

Harry, Hermione and Ginny didn't manage to get their jars back into their pouches before the stop at Apppleby.

They did picnic. Harry requested both toast and chocolate biscuits. Winky sent a four course meal. McGonagall found them by following Neville back from his quest for spoons for the soup course, and talked them to getting back to their respective places. Fred and George took the blame for breaking in, and bringing the picnic from off-site, and thus there was only minimal points loss.

ooo

Luna clipped two articles from the Daily Prophet the next day at breakfast.

x

_Ministry Creatures Keeper Lost _

_Last Seen Aggravating Welsh Green_

_Dragon Keepers Say He Left Safe_

x

_Tinworth House Burglary Foiled_

_Wards Almost Down – Town Confused_

_Rumors Say Pub's Windows Flashed Green_

Her housemates asked "Luna, I thought you only read the Quibbler, what's with the clippings?"

She said simply "These are almost pretty enough to decorate mice cages with."

Her housemates gave up and kept quiet.

* * *

><p>AN: This chapter is a bit short. Overall, average word count is trending upwards.<p> 


	7. Chapter 7: Complication

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter, associated characters and setting belong to JK Rowling and whoever she chooses to share the rights with, which does not include me. This is for entertainment purposes only, with no copyright infringement intended, or profit made.

**Chapter 7: Complication**

The day after Halloween, notices were posted about apparition lessons. Hermione checked learning off the Hunter checklist with a smile.

When Fred and George heard, they sent a basket of fake wands and a well aged bottle to the Ministry's Apparition Tutor, as preemptive thanks for making sure their younger siblings would be safe.

ooo

Oliver Wood called in on the radios during Harry and Hermione's designated tinkering free period.

"Mysterious Death Eater hunters?"

Harry dropped the denuded quill he was working on transfiguring. "You have a spotting to report?"

"Yes. Lucius Malfoy is touring the Puddlemere Pitch. It's an owners tour, he's a major owner. There are other owners wandering about.

"Do the owners have a time frame for leaving?

"It will be after 4 at least, we're having a tea with all the players and owners. Malfoy always stays to talk after that."

"Thanks, Oliver."

"I... I don't remember giving my name."

"Don't worry. I remember that fondness in your voice when you say the word 'pitch' from when you taught me about the game..."

"Ah... Good luck. You have help to take the bastard down, right?"

"Whole teams of it."

"Right. I have to go smile at the owners."

ooo

Fred and George met Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Neville in the Shrieking Shack. Luna had decided to stay behind, and make loud noises in the Room Of Requirement. Harry gave her an enchanted radio that could pick up muggle wavelengths. Luna's new addiction to AC/DC, Pink Floyd and the Beastie Boys was their planned alibi for the night.

Fred and George apparated them in shifts, which led to them playing a very quiet game of Marco Polo to find each other and line up. Even Hermione was invisible, having added another layer of cloak over her red one, this on disillusioned.

It was cold, It was wet. It was winter, and dark was settling down fast.

Three hours later, it was still cold and wet. The dark had settled down so hard it was suffocating the stray beams of light from the stadium and town. Which was good. It would make it harder for anyone to notice the snow settling down onto the disillusioned people. Not that it stayed long, since fine snow melts when it encounters warming charms, but still. Snow outlines are tacky.

As Harry blew snow around to cover up their melted bare spots, Fred complained. "We can't even cuddle for warmth, as it would mess with the spacing."

Ginny replied, from her spot. "Given the line, I've got you or Ron for snuggling options, but I'm still considering it because I'm that cold."

Finally, the door of the offices opened. And Lucius Malfoy did indeed come out, behind the general manager and the team captain.

"Come on down to the pub, and we can have a celebratory drink. They have a decent wine selection, and we can get pints, and raise them to full stands and trophies to be lifted."

"Well, that's disappointing Bystanders. Let go home." Ron whispered over the radio.

Harry whispered loudly back over the same frequency, "We're damn well going to follow him!"

"Harry, he'll likely just floo him from the pub." Hermione chattered.

"If there's a chance of us getting an inner circle Death Eater, we have to try. What if he decides not to get his outfit dirty with soot?"

"What if we all get frostbite?"

"Warming charms." Harry was terse.

"We're going to do this?"

"Someone will notice we're missing."

"We'll have all been working on a surprise transfiguration project for Flitwick's birthday, with loud music. I'm going to get him. We need to get him."

Ron's disembodied voice nodded. "If we're going to go after him, we want to do it now. Once he's in the pub he becomes unpredictable."

"...but he's not alone." Hermione objected.

Harry was getting louder "Alone or not, he's not aware. We're not going to get that again."

Ron piped up "We could just stun them..."

"Stun the manager of Puddlemere, just because you're cold? Are you trying to help the Cannons win, Ronny dear?" Fred asked.

Ron defended himself. "We all stun each other all the time, with little to no ill effects. Either the fight comes off clean, and we send off sparks so someone retrieves them, or the fight makes noise, and people will come see."

"-or it goes wrong, they fall down, hit their heads, and get frostbite. They're innocents." Hermione objected.

"They're walking, alone at night with a known Death Eater. They're stupid and should know better." Ginny added.

"So we're making people afraid of Death Eater's because we're not going to bother to protect people from crossfire?" Hermione wanted to clarify.

Harry interrupted. "If it makes it worse to be a Death Eater, yes. Ginny, Ron, stunners. Everyone else not shielding, stunners on Malfoy. Don't let him have time to blink."

Ron interrupted, "Harry, mate, if I may... hold back half. He'll dodge the first. He'll even dodge on instinct, because he's used to random hexes from Riddle, but he's not expecting rounds of mass stunner fire."

Hermione played with the hem of her upper cloak, glad for once to be layering cloaks. "Should he see red?"

"Since we're purposely leaving people, yes. Lets have you in red walking towards them."

"Ok, then, We're popping to the other side, and walking back up?"

"Got it" Fred and George said, in unison.

"Everyone thawed their fingers and wands?" Ginny joked.

"Ready. " Neville replied.

"Ready." Ron chimed in.

"Born ready." Harry added. "You good to go, Hermione?"

"I'm ready to stun, let me arrange my hoods, though."

"Girls, always thinking about fashion at the worst times, eh, twin?" George started.

"Ah, but fashion is important, when you're trying to match your stunner to your cloak."

"That it is, that it is."

"Apparating in three."

Everyone grabbed their twin, and they popped to the bottom of the hill.

Hermione spun off her overcloak of disillusionment, trying to look like she just spun in. Her wand was in her sleeve. She started walking at a slow, cold trudge through the loose powder up to the stadium. Past the pub, and past the unofficial souvenir shop, with it's windows full of scarfs and jerseys.

Harry started a countdown when she was a 30 meters from Malfoy. They were both walking, so they closed fast. When he was at 6, Malfoy turned to better address the coach, and Harry yelled over the radio, "Bollocks, go now, Go!"

Ron shot on time, as did Ginny. The two spares went down hard.

Harry shot on time, which was easy, since he was the one who knew when he was going to yell go. Hermione, who had been busy looking nonthreatening and cold didn't get her wand out of her sleeve for a full three heartbeats. Neville aimed at Lucius, and would have hit him, if he hadn't dropped.

Both Harry and Neville had shot at chest height, the largest target. Both missed when Lucius dropped right and to his knees.

Hermione's shot, three seconds later, was on target, but hit a shield.

They were now facing an awake, aware high caliber Death Eater who knew there were multiple shots being fired. He looked utterly shocked, but his shield held.

Harry's voice came over the radios. "Again, Hermione and Neville late, in case the shield drops."

Lucius Malfoy's shield did face three stunners, and reflected them all. Hermione and Neville's deflected less brightly, but still deflected.

Malfoy used the lull in between round to recast.

Hermione spoke, quietly. "Free for all, I'm going to be shooing green, so he'll come out of turtle to dodge."

Hermione's green curse did seem to rattle Malfoy, as did the now seemingly endless stream of stunners and acid green curses coming his way. Malfoy stood, dodging and sheilding, and started to back off.

Hermione whispered again. "Fred, grab Neville, pop behind him. Take him down."

One of Neville's green hexes bounced off of a corner of Malfoys shield. His eyes opened wide, but he kept dodging all the green shots.

Fred swore. "Shit, he knows. We can't let him leave knowing."

Ron added. "Behind and the to stadium side. We'll try to miss the other way. We don't need friendly fire."

Hermione drifted to her right, to be closer to her only shielder, Harry. Lucius's eyes didn't leave her for a second.

Harry had his elbow out, to help with spacing, or at least prevent her from running him over.

George apparated Neville back behind Lucius, close enough to be in the fight. The noise of the the apparition startled Lucius, making him miss Hermione just to the left. Unfortunately, just to her left was Harry, who took the cutting curse to his cloaked elbow. He grunted over the radio, and dropped, showing off a huge shimmer against the fresh snow. The cut cloak was also soaking from the inside, deep red bleeding trough the weave and the charms.

Lucius's eyes grew wide, as comprehension hit, and he started to look for other shimmers.

Just as he fully realized what was going on, thought, he was hit from behind with a bolt of red as Hermione hit him from the front with green. She didn't have a jar out, so she ended up with a stunned small fuzzy Malfoy summoned to her hand.

She got him into a jar just a George got Harry up and supported.

"Harry, are you okay to apparate?"

Harry was focused on breathing. "My arm hurts" Breath. "Bleeding." Breath "Cut the muscle, too bad to fix ourselves."

"Harry, if you jerk around while we're midway, you'll hurt yourself... Mom always said, worst case, to stun somebody first..." Fred was approaching fast.

"... Do it. Hogwarts. Neville found me in the halls. We'll play dumb."

The team was serious as the went about their plan, planting a bloody Harry in the entry hall, near the main stairs. Neville gave them a five minute head starts, so they could be notified in their dorms, or in Hermione's case, her library chair, and then he sent a patronus for Madam Pomfrey.

ooo

The teachers didn't believe Harry's excuses of not remembering a thing. Ron muttered loudly about Death Eater sympathizers in the castle. Hermione checked every weapon on a suit of armor within 50 meters of where Harry was found. Dumbledore called the incident 'Curious.' Snape glared at Harry and Ron, and slightly less so at Hermione.

Professor McGonagall worried.

Hermione spent her Saturday night scrubbing blood out of invisible cloaks. Harry's, both of hers, and George's. Harry sent a note with Ginny. He wanted her to leave the blood on her red Cloak. 'I know you'll hate it, 'Mione, but it's psychological warfare."

ooo

Harry missed the first Apparition lesson It was purely about the theoretical and licensing aspects, and they attended in clumps, seated by year.

The second lesson, in the afternoon on a Saturday, w,as a practical. They were placed in hoops in the Great Hall, each with a target hoop two meters in front of them. With the background reading Hermione made them do, and the multiple side-alongs they'd been doing, Harry Hermione and Ron all succeeded on their first tries.

Neville popped hoops on his third try.

Luna, somehow, accidentally landed standing on Dumbledore's chair, which was much farther away from her then her target hoop.

Ginny splinched two inches of her left ponytail laughing at Luna's antics while trying herself.

Any of the others who had managed to get from one hoop to another had literally jumped. Spinning and falling towards the other hoop was also a popular method.

Snape glared, looking from Hermione, to Ron, to Harry. He stood directly behind Neville, suspiciously watching, as if watching closer would make him slow down and reveal the trick. Perhaps he was hoping to cause a splinch through fear and panic. Neville calmly kept popping back and forth, the small smile on his face growing each time.

Hermione, during the fifteen minute brake, talked with the tutor, listing the sixteen most useful books she had found, and asked if he has others to add to her suggested reading. He admitted her list was longer then his.

Professor Flitwick, who was walking past, awarded Hermione twenty points for academic excellence. When he added 3 for every student who'd succeeded so far, Snape swept from the room in a fit of anger and confusion.

AN. Chapter 8: Miscalculation is longer, and has a scene that make me smile every time I read it. Reviews, also, make me smile. _Tempe_, I'm glad you liked the Luna moment.


	8. Chapter 8: Miscalculation

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter, associated characters and setting belong to JK Rowling and whoever she chooses to share the rights with, which does not include me. This is for entertainment purposes only, with no copyright infringement intended, or profit made.

**Chapter 8: Miscalculation**

Lee Jordan, Oliver Wood, Fred and George were out drinking to commiserate with Lee on his recent single status. Yet another witch just wasn't ready for his brilliance and giant spider collection. They were at a tavern off Diagon Alley, far enough from Fred and George's shop that they wouldn't get 8-year-olds asking for pranking advice, nor would anyone here ask Oliver to get them a autograph from a teammate. People came here to drink and talk. The lighting was low enough that those who came to be seen would need to keep a _lumos_ cast.

Fred nodded at George, waited a moment, then nodded at a table further along the wall. George raised an eyebrow. Oliver looked confused for a moment, but caught on. Lee was more accustomed to the twins, and knew something was in the air.

George raised another eyebrow, and Fred set down his beer, and tapped his left forearm, Where that dark mark would sit. Lee saw that, and reached for his radio. Fred shook his head.

George went to used the loo, and when he came back, he tucked a flesh colored string in his ear. Fred made small talk with Lee, asking about girls who had seen his spiders and come back again. Oliver offered that he knew of a muggle Lady Entomologist who live in Upper Flagly.

"Just the three on this side of the table. They're bragging to the others." George put down the extendable ear.

Fred smiled at Lee and Oliver. "Can I ask you two to go back to the shop and check to make sure I locked it? I'm feeling paranoid all of a sudden. Here's the keys, and Lee knows our ward scheme."

Lee and Oliver took the offered diversion, and went to check on the shop. When they got back, after walking slowly, the three death eaters were missing, and Fred had ordered another round of ale.

Lee nodded. "Any idiot bragging about his new tattoo deserves it, and I don't want to know what it is."

"They've just gone to the loo. I'm sure they'll show up at some point."

The headlines the next day argued that three more young men had, indeed, gone missing between their tavern table and the loo. The three had nothing in common, other the a purebred background. No one had seen anything, but Hermione still yelled at them for working without backup.

ooo

The summons came late at night. Fred and George were talking over the radio at the same time, nearly incomprehensible to the sleepy students. As they woke up, they started picking up on words. When Hermione heard 'Death Eaters' and 'Diagon Alley' she knew enough to start asking questions.

"Do you two need to be evacuated?"

The twins calmed down enough that they were no longer talking over each other. "No. At least, not now." "Left." "We're using your tactics, dear. We're an invisible menace still."

"Could we be useful, then?"

"If you can get here. It seems like they're working in small groups." "Not sure why they're doing what they're doing."

"Everyone, start getting ready. We'll pick the twins' brains for information as we get out of the Castle."

Neville, Ron and Harry all started getting up, trying to scramble quietly for clothes. Their Hunting kits, in accordance with Hermione's rules, were packed and ready to go.

Seamus, who could sleep through Ron's snoring, apparently noticed the sudden lack of sound, and asked "Whasup?"

Harry looked over at the head sticking out of the curtains. "Prank related business. We've been plotting with Fred and George. Best not to ask."

"So long as I'm safe while sleeeeping." Seamus had yawned mid-vowel.

"Sleep, Seamus. And if anyone asks, Ron snored all night, yea?"

"al'right..."

Harry shook his head as the left the room. If his experience held true, Seamus was already back to sleep, and might not even remember waking.

"Do you guys know our alley enough to come in here?"

"Maybe, why?" Harry asked. 

"They've got all their main forces at the Leaky and at the entrance to Knockturn." "We just saw two shrimps with acne breaking into Ollivanders." "We think the minor forces behind the lines would be easy to take."

"We'd be surrounded." Hermione was a smart girl, and had studied fighting on two fronts.

"Fred, how about not the alley. How about the side of Gringotts. I trust that to stay solid and guard my back." Harry asked as they exited the portrait, looking at the marauder's map.

"I think we all know it enough to apparate to it, but could we get out?"

"Do they have wards up, you two?"

"Nope. They're apparating in and out behind the lines. Which makes holding the lines seem that much sillier."

"Never let it be said that wizards are logical" Hermione muttered.

"Weird." Harry said, looking at the map. "There's no one patrolling, not even Snape."

Hermione looked at him. "Harry, if the Death Eaters are attacking Diagon Alley en mass, why would Snape be here?"

Harry realized what she meant. "Dammit."

Hermione spoke clearly into the radio. "Okay, people, it's going to be chaos, but if you see him, try not to hurt Dumbledore's spy. He's useful, just not for us."

Neville looked up. "Snape is a spy?"

Harry nodded as he worked on poking the Whomping Willow. "For the Order. Has been for longer then we've been alive. Don't go spreading it around."

"Even if they don't share their info with us – because they don't know we exist – it's good that someone has a spy."

When they got out to the shack, Hermione made everyone take three deep breaths. Then they all greed on which corner of Gringotts they were going to meet at. Then they left for the battle.

ooo

Hermione felt exposed, wearing a visible red cloak up against the white marble of Gringotts. But if the group was going to stay together and stay spaced in this thing, they needed a visual anchor. She felt George sliding behind her to get to his spot. Fred whispered to Neville on the other side.

Harry gave them their orders over their radio. "Targets of opportunity only. Let's pick off the ones away from the herd, and than leave in a puff of dust and so on."

"There were three trying to follow us as we came. They should be coming around the corner soon- oh, there. NOW."

The three had walked around the corner and been hit by a wall of red stunners. Hermione cast Three green spells, resulting in three mice in a single jar.

"Now what? We make a noise and hope someone checks on it?"

Fred ignored her sarcastic tone. "We could try that. Can't hurt. Might work. And a confused Death Eater is a stunned Death Eater."

"Fine. Ron, kick that rubbish bin, would you?"

Ron kicked the bin, which made a lovely clang, and they waited. And they waited. When two Death Eaters passed the end of their alley a minute later, Hermione was pretty sure they had not heard the noise. However, at Harry's "NOW!" they shot, nevertheless. The two cloaked figures fell in the street. Hermione grabbed an empty jar and cast quickly, trying to get the slumped bodies out of sight before anyone saw them.

"George, can you take jars from me? These are full and I don't want to risk escape if I pull a full one out later."

"Sure, but let me hand them off to Nev. He's going home with our house elf handler. Also, he hasn't got the mouse spell down yet, so you can trade out you heavy jars for his light ones."

"I hate to tell you this, but since I can't get the spell yet, I don't have mine." Neville's voice was regretful, and Hermione imagined she could see his blush.

"It was this way!"

They all whipped their heads around to the entrance of their side-street.

"It was green, and I was over here." The voice was high and whiny, and it was coming closer.

"Who do you think would be casting unforgivable spells over here. Think your mates have suddenly decided to try get into Gringotts while I'm not looking?" That voice they did recognize. It was deep and smooth and scathing. They heard it every potions class.

"But, it was odd, and I report all odd incidents..."

"Fine, let's look. But since you've already lost half your group, we're sticking together. And you'll explain why you lot can't be trusted to do simple breaking and entering unsupervised."

Hermione braced herself. Even knowing there would be three shields up if she needed them, she had the urge to run. A group of 6 or more would mean they'd have to run. And Snape was a competent opponent.

She almost sighed when only four came around the corner. Unfortunately, four coming around the corner meant four Death Eaters all looking at her with intent to kill. Sighing in relief would be out of character. Laughing hysterically was out too, unless she passed it off as evil or crazy.

Hermione did notice that Snape was smart, and likely still alive, since he went around the corner last. It wouldn't help them, though. He was a spy, but he wasn't their spy, nor was he in on the plan.

What followed was and utterly confused volley of spells. Two cutting curses got through to her. Neville cried out over the radio, as did Ron. Her cloak stopped the spells, since they'd already lost energy ramming through shield spells.

She cast _Muskilulae _as fast as she could. The green light flashed, and she actually did let out a laugh as the Death Eaters started trying to hide behind each other. And then, before she was even ready for it to have started, it was over. There was a mouse in the jar in her hand, so she screwed on the lid.

"Injuries?"

The radio was silent. She asked again "Ron, Neville, you guys made a bit of noise, you ok?"

"That was our shields collapsing and hitting each other."

She nodded. "Let's get out of here. Fred, George, you ok going to the Burrow?"

"Yup."

And, never having left the ally, they left the battle. Secret plans don't do well once people figure them out. And ambushes tend to reverse once they're known.

ooo

Hermione stood in her red, blood stained and tattered cloak, staring at a pint jar with three mice in it.

"Harry, can you use the map to help us label these mice? Can it zoom in that far?"

"In Hogwarts, yeah, it can zoom in that far. It doesn't work out here in the Shack."

Hermione started walking towards the tunnel. "Let go sort mice in the Room of Requirement, then."

"It doesn't show the Room." He dropped through the trapdoor, and turned to help Hermione.

"We really need to send off to Remus and figure out how to fix that." Hermione smiled at the thought of learning the map's secrets.

Harry nodded. "Yes, we do. I think he doesn't want to encourage us in recklessness, but I think we could argue for better mapping the castle."

"Or at least blackmailing any couple found in there on their own." Ron smiled.

"You know that rule would have people blackmailing us, right?" Harry looked around. "Most of us have been in there with only one other."

Hermione stuck out her tongue. "We'd ignore it, and it would go away, after all, where there's no fire, smoke clears up fast."

Harry looked confused. "I'm not sure about your metaphor."

"Besides, Hogwarts is a gossip breeding factory. And there were those articles the year of the tournament. People would claim they had proof." Ginny smiled bitterly.

In an empty classroom, Hermione was emptying her pockets of mice when Harry paled suddenly, and yelled "Wait!"

"What?"

"You have one more jar, it's in your left pouch, right?"

"Yes.." Hermione looked hesitant.

"It's Snape, unless he's disillusioned and standing touching your elbow.."

"Damn. Oh, Fuck."

Harry looked up. "Did you just say -"

"Yes. I'll go deal with him. You deal with the rest? And if I'm in detention for the rest of my years, you're checking out books for me."

"Sure, thing. You sure you don't want help?"

"No, you'd aggravate him. And the less proof he has, the less likely he is to report us."

ooo

Hermione stood upright, hood off and head up, bracing herself. The jar containing Snape was in the center of the room, lid off. Carefully, she levitated him onto a bare spot of floor.

"Please, Sir, if you can hear me, hold still while I turn you back. Don't run off towards Mrs. Norris." Hermione winced at that thought. "The spell is green. We did that to make it easily confusable... Just hold still, Sir, and don't worry."

The mouse stood, looking at her, and sniffing.

Hermione cast her untransfiguration. She watched only long enough to make sure Snape came back with all his limbs, before she plastered her eyes to her shoes. "Your wand is on your desk, Sir."

She heard him take two long steps over to his desk, and the clack of wood on wood.

"Miss Granger..." His voice paused. "Miss Granger, I'm not even sure where to start."

"Sir, I'm so sorry we turned you into a mouse. You were that last one, and none of the others who saw it will be able to report back, so you should be able to report that it never happened, you escaped, and still be able to spy, Sir, and not-"

"Miss Granger, you're babbling."

Hermione looked up at that. Professor Snape was leaning on his deck, slumped far more then she'd ever seen him.

"Sir, we didn't hurt you, did we, or rattle the jar too much?"

"I'm fine, Miss Granger. Startled, confused, but unhurt. Now... tell me how you came to be wearing that ridiculous cloak while battling Death Eaters at 3am... And tell me how on earth you WON!"

"The cloak is ridiculous so you don't notice the Disillusion spells around it. Every eye trends towards the red and the stains, while no one sees the ripples of the sheilders and hexers around me... It's shield charmed, too, and the hood has a permanent Sticking Charm on it..."

Professor Snape nodded "Don't stop talking. Who, How, Why. Feel free to babble for now."

Hermione looked cautious. "Um, Sir, the who... I'm afraid I'm unwilling to provide more concrete information at this point, Sir, unless you are willing to concede how you intend to use the information."

"So you somehow became a fighter the Death Eaters themselves fear... known to kill indiscriminately, and, if one listens to the whispers of the new boys, eat the bodies. Instead, you have, well, you, the know-it-all, posing with at least two shielders, and two additional duelers, - don't give me that look, you used plurals- turning Death Eaters into mice and storing them in jars..."

Hermione was once again studying her shoes. "...it only works if people don't know the details."

Snape looked at her. "But know I know."

Hermione looked up, not quite meeting his eyes. "Yes, sir, and now that you're not a mouse, what do you intend to do about it?"

"That's the question. I doubt anyone in your little groups is old enough to be in this fight, according to Order standards. And you, Miss Granger, are, at the least withholding information on students out of bounds after hours... however..." Snape looked at her.

"However?" Hermione's tone of voice was hopeful for the first time since she had entered the room.

"It seems to be working. How many mice do you have?"

"Thirteen, plus what we got tonight. So twenty-two, well, twenty-one excluding yourself."

"I no longer seem to be a mouse."

"You're useful, even if you don't report to us." Hermione sighed. "Please don't report us, either. We're doing what we can to make this war easier. You said yourself the low level Death Eaters are afraid."

"You've been effective, yes, and don't seem to have gotten yourselves killed yet. But this war, it's not a game to play at. You need to be aware or the consequences."

"Everyone involved is already a target. Now we're targets with a plan to fight back." Hermione's fear and anger were bleeding off, and she stifled a yawn. "We want there to be a reason for people not to join up. And we want those who go down to stay down."

"I'll need to think on this. In the meantime, you need to go to sleep. There are classes tomorrow, and you shouldn't fall asleep into your caldron. You're safe from me for now, but if your antics cause an explosion..."

Hermione turned to leave, but stopped at the door.

"Can you explain your escape? We could knock you on the head and leave you under a bag of rubbish in an alley, if it would help..."

"Do try to keep the glee out of your voice when you say that, girl."

"I'm just trying to be helpful, Sir." With that, she turned and fled up the corridor, pulling her disillusion cloak on over her head as she ran.

ooo

AN The rating on this fic is **M.** It has been since the start. I'll be giving warnings on chapters with excessive violence or possible triggers. Please keep an eye out for those, as they are coming up. If you do not want to read about violence, gray ethical decisions by main characters in bad situations, or aftermath of rape, this would be your warning to find other reading material.

Thanks for reading. This fic now has over 700 hits.


	9. Chapter 9: Explanation

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter, associated characters and setting belong to JK Rowling and whoever she chooses to share the rights with, which does not include me. This is for entertainment purposes only, with no copyright infringement intended, or profit made.

**Chapter 9: Explanation**

Snape didn't ignore them at breakfast, like he usually did before he'd his tea. He slowly walked behind the Gryffindor table, and watched as Ron and Harry winced. He stopped and raised an eyebrow, and pulled out a little notebook, and wrote something in it, raising an eyebrow in Hermione's direction.

Neville, turned and stood to be level with him, then calmly asked "Can we help you with something this morning, Professor?"

The entire table, and half of Hufflepuff sucked in a breath at the same time. Snape raised an eyebrow again.

"I was noting who of my students looked particularly off form today. I wish to be forewarned to keep an eye out for explosions caused by ill attention."

Neville paused a moment, then responded. "I'm sure those students who would benefit from more of your attention would be appreciative." He glanced over at the Slytherin table. "Since you are concerned, I feel I must inform you that Mr. Zambini seems to be on his fifth cup of coffee, which may backfire on him. After all, jitters can be worse then slow but concise movement. Also, Mr.s Malfoy and Nott have not yet made an appearance. Perhaps they are awake and elsewhere, but I'm not in possession of that knowledge."

Snape paused for a moment, and his eyes flickered from Neville, to Hermione, and back. Then he nodded slightly, and walked off..

The Gryffindors made a point of going through the motions of silent applause when Snape's back was turned.

One of the seventh year boys leaned over to Neville as he sat. "Very well done. I didn't think you had it in you."

Neville smiled, and served himself some juice, before answering. "I just took a while to grow into my inner Gryffindor, I think."

"Well done, though. You faced him, and didn't lose a point. I don't think many have done that."

.o.o.o.

At the end of potions, Snape told Hermione stay behind to discuss her 'inability to adhere to such a basic concept as a set essay length.'

Harry, Ron and Neville lurked at the door, waiting until the others left, and then setting out to guard and eavesdrop while preventing eavesdroppers.

Snape waited until the door was sealed, then he started pacing. " I want details. I want to know how and why and every last bit of what you're doing. If I find a flaw, I want you to fix it. I'm going to make sure you've thought of everything. You're going to follow my suggestions, because If I don't think it'll work, I'll report you to the Order for your own safety..

Hermione tilted her head. "Guys?"

Snape looked at her, confused. "The rest of your trio plus one can't hear you, I've put up privacy wards."

Hermione looked at him, and smirked. "There are three votes for telling you, one against, and two for showing and telling only if you promise to inform for us. One voter abstained."

Snape looked at her, then at the door. "How?"

"How we coordinate while invisible. How we know where there are unsuspecting Death Eaters..." Hermione took a deep breath. "Would you consider informing, or at least giving us information. Like what pubs are common with upstanding purebred scions, or who the newest Death Eaters are?"

"I... how? You're only going to tell me if I agree to help you?"

"You said it yourself last night. What we're doing, it's working. We're picking of the new Death Eaters when they're drunk, but only if we overhear them bragging. That means we're only getting the stupid ones. And we're working on the inner circle when they're sighted alone, but that's chance, and they're getting more paranoid."

"You, you got Lucius..."

"And he got Harry, it was that same day. I'll give Lucius that his shields were impressive, but the look on his face when four stunners and two green spells came at him, that was something I'll treasure."

"I'll help. Not a lot of information, but pubs to watch, and which idiots are likely to be alone."

"Then we'll tell you what we know, and let you help. It will require leaving the grounds, but we can apperate now."

"You're under seventeen, underage magic.."

"Underage magic detection thought a house elf was Harry. It's not exactly precise. It's wise to keep moving, though. And apparition doesn't require wand use."

"They'll find the location eventually."

"They've found the locations eventually. The paper talks about unregistered magics and signs of a scuffle. If a location isn't registered as containing only underage magic users, we think they can't tell."

"It shouldn't work that way."

"And yet, it has so far. We really think that they just litter monitoring spells around the houses of muggleborns and, apparently, Harry."

"But..."

"They wouldn't tell people that you only have to go over three blocks, if it was the case, now would they. They keep on about some powerful tracking thing, but they couldn't find Harry after he left home during the Aunt incident. It's one of those 'ignore the green man behind the curtain' things."

Snape turned to her, and asked "What? ...Oz?"

Hermione looked surprised that he got the reference. "They're trying to appear all powerful. They don't want to show the mechanism of how it works, otherwise we'd figure out how easy it is to get around it."

"There's got to be more to it then that..."

"I figure the only thing the Ministry is competent at is looking competent."

Snape had to smile. "So cynical. Perhaps there's hope for you yet."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "First stop of the tour is on the forth floor, charms corridor. Do you have time now?"

Snape nodded.

By the time they got the door open, only Harry was there. Snape looked about for the other two, and scowled when Harry gave him a knowing look.

.o.o.

"Welcome to our workroom." Hermione gestured around at piles of junk and paperclips. Professor Snape raised a very sarcastic eyebrow.

Harry took his seat, in front of a pile of old oil lantern wick holders and brackets. "We're doing extra credit for Professor Flitwick."

Hermione explained further. "We wrote to him over the summer, asking how much he could tell us about the enchanted magical objects common to the magical world. We're both not used to them, and saw them as something worthy of studying, you see."

Harry continued. "For example, Molly Weasley uses her WWN everyday. How does it work, and how was it made? She doesn't care, but we were curious."

"He sent us a list of books on how things are enchanted."

"We made a transfigured and enchanted a functional WWN, and turned it in for extra credit at the beginning of the year." Harry pointed over at their graded notes.

Hermione smiled. "What he doesn't know was that we were trying to create the magical equivalent of a muggle walkie-talkie. We wanted long distance communication that would work within magical wards."

Snape turned to look at Harry as he took up the story. "So, while Flitwick and Mr. Weasley though we were taking days to learn how to tune into the WWN..."

Hermione pulled out another set of notes from a hidden drawer. "We were really figuring out how hard it would be for someone to tap into our communication network, and-"

Snape interrupted. "If you two do not stop the Weasley-esque finishing of each others sentences, I will hex both of you silent."

Harry and Hermione looked at each other. Harry bowed, and motioned for her to continue. "So. Here's your radio. You have to have it on you, but you can shrink it. Harry keeps his in his shoe. We'll make it so it's only heard in your ear, and teach you how to make it pick up what you hear, or not."

Hermione looked serious. "There are various versions of these floating about, that only let people talk to us. That's how people are reporting. Most of them don't know who they're reporting to. Former Gryffindors, mostly, and others who are sympathetic, but not in the order. They've been told to get out of the situation, then report it."

"Anything else, silent Harry?"

Harry nodded, but waited until Snape gave him permission to speak, which only seemed to annoy him more. "Would you like an anti-portkey ward, Sir? After the third task, we didn't want to be surprised by port-keys. We all wear one."

"That's almost well thought out."

Harry chose to take that as a compliment, coming from Snape. "Given that Death Eaters like to use anti-apperation wards, we thought it would help us not become unwilling guests of theirs."

"Fine."

"You get your choice of lovely jewelry, then. Active when touching skin, not active with a simple cloth barrier..."

Hermione smiled. "Now, on to the next stop of the tour."

.o.o.

Harry let go of Snape's arm, and gestured about a grubby, low ceilinged room with no natural light and lingering smell of small pets. "Welcome to the mousery."

"Where the hell are we?"

"Shhhh. We're in the basement of Grimauld place."

Snape whipped his head around to look at Harry. "Your secret base is in the basement of the Order headquarters?"

"No. Our secret base is wherever there is toast and chocolate biscuits. This is just where we store the mice."

"But..."

"Please, before you object, remember that I own this building, and I am the master of Dobby and Winky. That allows us to play things out under your noses, and use your wards as extra protection..."

"So we're in the basement..."

Hermione spoke up. "Beyond the house elf quarters. Be thankful Harry brought you side along. Otherwise you'd have had to crawl though low ceilings, and past Dobby's Harry shrine."

"We think it's better protection then a _fidelius,_ really. I mean, whose going to crawl through the house elf's quarters. Not the Death Eaters, for sure."

"No, it doesn't fit their delusions of grandeur" Hermione agreed.

"Normally, we don't come here. Winky just takes the mice and brings them here."

Snape turned to look at the stacks of cages. Each contained food, water, and a single mouse. Some had their press clippings, covering their mysterious disappearance. "Avery, Macnair, Malfoy... Goyle Sr. You've got a lot of the newest of the new, but you're not doing bad at getting the old guard."

"Well, we figured that getting them while they thought they were safe..."

"Are you going to keep them as mice forever? And why mice?"

Harry motioned at Hermione, who started the explanation. "Well, the keeping them as animals was inspired by Rita Skeeter. She's a beetle animagus. It's how she was getting on school grounds. I put her in a jar, and kept her until she agreed to stop writing lies about us... But, umm, our older conspirators said people would store better as mice than as beetles, since they're already used to being mammals, and apparently that helps with them staying sane and happy."

"Um, sir, how much do you remember from your experience being a mouse. Because I think fuzzy Malfoy is glaring at us."

"The first five minutes were disconcerting. It took a while to figure out how to see and hear and process it. I spent a good minute contemplating my tail, trying to mentally get from checking that alley to having a tail and being in a dark jar."

"But after those five minutes...?"

"When Miss Granger got me out, and told me to sit still, and that she's be firing a green spell at me... Yes, I understood that, as well as the jibe about Mrs. Norris."

"So the blond mouse glaring at us is aware of what's going on? And that we're feeding him mini-puffskein food instead of proper mouse food? Not that I think he'd feel any better about mouse food. But, well, since he's a mouse, he couldn't say it's inappropriate..."

Snape waited until Harry trailed off. "...Yes, he's been listening. And he's now aware that I'm helping you, and I've been helping the Order for fifteen years."

There was a very angry squeaking from multiple cages. Hermione laughed. Snape looked at her, and raised an eyebrow. "They do sound like the pink and purple mini-puffs that Fred and George sell. I never thought angry Death Eaters would sound cute."

"It helps that you have so thoroughly defeated their dignity. What happens when they try to change back?"

"The cages are charmed unbreakable. They'd chop themselves into bits if they transformed in there. Besides, they're inside a ward that only allows house elves magic. It's apparently used for precocious magical toddlers in the terrible two stage, usually."

"Ah, yes, that's the line on the ground?"

"Yes, and beyond that, Hermione found this lovely muggle poison that is fine in mice, but poisons humans. We've knocked them all out and injected that..."

"So if they change back, they die?"

"They'll go blind, deaf, and paralyzed. Death would take a bit of time."

"Well, then I think our secrets are safe."

..o.o.

As they landed back in the Shrieking Shack, Hermione turned to Harry. "We injected them with a muggle poison that only works in humans, not mice?"

"I though it would be good to give them a few more reasons not to attempt it..."

"I may have to look it up, anyway."

"Am I to understand that Mr. Potter just said that for the benefit of our fuzzy audience?"

"Yes, sir. I do think I've read something... I know there are diseases that don't effect the rodents, just live in their blood, but infect humans..."

"She's off to the library, Sir, or perhaps her own trunk for books. She'll be a while. You had a question?"

"I was wondering when you all learned to think like Slytherins."

"Sometime before I met the Sorting Hat, sir, but after dealing with Malfoy, I pleaded."

Snape's jaw dropped. "I... you... you were almost..."

"I'm pretty sure Hermione pleaded as well. She's a Ravenclaw who decided to admire Gryffindors so much she became one. But she's brave enough to stand, visible, in front of packs of Death Eaters and be a target, so it's a good match. Still, some Gryffindor trio we are."

"I... I'll think about anything I wish to advise you on before your next meeting."

"Ah, yes, our next meeting. It'll be once Hermione has managed to convince all of our number to be willing to be in the same room as you, although it's a very big room."

"Where are you meeting?"

"This week, our Monday meeting is scheduled for the Chamber of Secrets." Harry watched Snape try to keep his face blank unsuccessfully. "Bring a broom, the first step is a doozy. Also, as a hint, Monday meetings are never on Mondays."

"I... what."

"Hermione is sneaky. She also has a list of ways to confuse people. Don't argue with the list. Or the toast. Or the chocolate biscuits."

* * *

><p>AN1: WARNING: Chapter 10 Contains Possible triggers. Violence, rape aftermath. Feel free to skip to 11 and read the two sentence summery.<p>

AN2 My Beloved Beta's real life issues have struck again. Right now, he's getting hugs and sympathy rather then rough drafts. I know my dyslexia means I _really_ should have a beta, but I'm not willing to disturb him. Sorry. If you point out typos, I'll gladly fix them.

Thanks for reading.


	10. Chapter 10: Devestation

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter, associated characters and setting belong to JK Rowling and whoever she chooses to share the rights with, which does not include me. This is for entertainment purposes only, with no copyright infringement intended, or profit made.

**Chapter 10: Devastation**

**WARNING:** Possible triggers. Violence, rape aftermath.

Professor Snape did attend a Monday meeting in the Chamber of Secrets. He spent a long while poking the slowly mummifying remains of the basilisk, although he moved back for a moment when Harry warned him about stray basilisk venom.

He had brought a broom, so he got to descend in a dignified manner. He didn't scoff too hard when Luna squealed her way down the shaft. He did scoff when the Weasley twins did so.

There was toast and updates from the twins (about products), Winky (about mice and rodent feed levels), and Hermione (about everything, including not turning Snape into a mouse again). Luna rounded up the media, and asked for ideas of how best to plant stories. Hermione offered to send a summery of the Bogeyman and Sack man legends to Rita, to be printed under the heading of why no one should believe the rumors, since legends are mythical.

Snape nodded. "While most people will see that as a valid attempt, most magical being also know that legends can be based on a reality."

Luna smiled. "Hermione, your cloak is so lovely and tattered and bloody, would you consider a picture with the pouch on your hip. I think a few charms to blur the film, and to shadow about the cloak, so really people only see it... Well, you've become a mythical creature, and the Quibbler would be glad to put you on the front page."

Harry asked "do we have a camera? And do we know the film fudging charms?"

Fred chimed in. "George and I have a great camera we use to shoot adverts. We can break in for a photo shoot whenever."

Luna smiled. "I know the film fudging charms. Daddy taught me, since people don't always believe things if it looks like it was too easy to get. Shadowing everything but the cloak will be harder."

Snape, who was fidgeting with his still unexplained toast, spoke up. "I can do the shadows, fading Miss Granger without fading the cloak. It's a standard stealth charm."

Hermione smiled. "Lets do that Friday night, then, if that works, We can shoot down here, or in the Room. It'll give me time to make sure my cloak is bloody enough."

Luna looked shocked. "Oh, Hermione, we couldn't do that, that'd be faking it. You've earned the other blood and tatters."

After the toast meeting, there was practice, and Neville trying to turn Fred into a mouse. He did get whiskers at one point. At anther point, Neville managed to summon Fred to the jar, without transforming him. Fred discovered that removing one's hand from being stuck in an unbreakable jar was harder then he though. Winky solved his issue by buttering his hand with the leftover toast butter.

Hermione spent half and hour going over notes on the mouse spell with Professor Snape. He transformed and jarred Ginny on his first try, although his spell was blue. After a revisit of the runic addition, and untransforming Ginny, he managed to cast it.

.o.o.

"Damn this radio. Is it working?" Snape sounded even more annoyed then his usual self.

"Professor?" Hermione responded

"One of you get yourself down here to the potions lab. I need to plant a location to apparate to with legilimency. You all are going on a rescue mission, now."

Harry's voice came up strong. "I'm close, I'll get the location. Meet the rest of you at the usual departure location."

Snape voice was blank, hiding all emotion. "I'll warn you guys now, it's gong to be bad."

"Sir, will you be able to come along?" Harry was running, from the sound of his voice. 

"I can't be seen."

"I'm in the workshop. Spare cloak coming up." Hermione offered.

"Grab a medical kit, too." Harry dropped into his crisis leadership role.

"I've got one, as does Neville and Fred." Hermione was always prepared.

"Anything else?" Harry asked, still running.

"Luna, make up something, should anyone ask."

Luna's lilting voice come out strong over the radio. "I took you all out to look for Blibbering Humdingers under the moonlight. Their psychic energy suggests they should be common to the northwest of the Quiddich Pitch."

"Right, that's our story, people, remember it if confronted by a teacher."

Snape's voice came over the radio. "Time to departure? and where am I meeting you?"

"We leave from the Shrieking Shack. And no more then two more minutes, unless someone's running slow."

Fred's voice came up."George has to stay. Only one of us disappearing can be explained. Both of us gone at once unexpectedly means our staff asks awkward questions."

"Neville's assigned as a Shielder, then."

"Where in the line do we put Snape?"

"At an end. We haven't trained him in dodging while maintaining formation." Harry said the last of this while Snape was climbing up through the trap door.

"Dodging while in formation?" Snape asked via voice, rather then radio.

"We have to be close to Hermione to protect her, and make it look like the hexes are coming from her. We're all invisible. It means we have to know where each other are, while still being able to dodge."

Snape shook his head, trying to clear it. "Look into my eyes, I'll give you the destination."

Fred had appeared behind them, in an area marked 'keep clear' with chalk. "Can you do a few more of us? We'd get there faster with more people apparating."

After getting Snape's location from him, Fred asked "Also, who are we rescuing?"

Snape took a deep breath. "Tonks. We're rescuing Tonks. "

"Shit, let's go." Hermione swore as she pulled away from Snape's gaze, then grabbed Ginny to take her side along.

.o.o.

The sight that greeted the teens and their professor as they worked their way in through the woods wasn't pretty. They could hear and smell the torture before they got there. The Death Eaters had lit the clearing with torches, the flickering light and laughter over the screams giving it a party like atmosphere. A few of the Death Eaters were standing off at the edges talking, or healing one another. There was a cluster in the center, standing over a figure on the ground. She was still screaming, although her throat sounded raw. At least three of the central Death Eaters had their robes off, and pants undone.

Snape's voice came soft over the radio. "How do we do this?"

Harry spoke, steel in his voice. "From most aware to least aware. 'Mione, keep yourself invisible. Hexers, count off and each figure out your top three targets. Snape, start from your end. Ginny, from your end, middles, as we fall in order. 'Mione, get the ones within reach of her."

Neville spoke "Shielders ready."

Harry spoke again. "Three, two, one, GO!" There was a sweep of red through the clearing. "And, Go!" They all stunned again. This time a few of their targets dodged, and started trying to find a target to return fire towards. Hermione started hexing constantly, getting anyone within two meters of Tonks. Luckily, they focused on the immediate threat.

"Shoot when you can!" Harry ordered, and the firefight began. Neville and Fred were blocking the potshots the Death Eaters were taking, shooting blind into the dark at disillusioned fighters.

"Move forward. 'Mione, Ginny, get her, before someone even thinks the word hostage."

The group moved forward, Fred with his offhand on Snape's back, helping him sweep in at the right speed. Snape re-stunned figures on the ground as he stepped over them, a tactic that the other boys picked up.

One masked figure, robe-less and partially dressed, stood over Tonks and refused to yield. He shielded and dodged. Snape recognized him. "That's Nott. Watch for daggers."

Just as he finished saying it, Nott leaned to reach into the top of his boot. It was more of a threat then the rescuers were willing to put up with.. He took four stunners simultaneously. His limp body flew five meters into a torch. When one of the Death Eaters turned to put out the fire climbing his clothes, Snape took the moment to stun the shieldless rescuer.

Ginny stopped when the line reached Tonks.

Hermione spoke calmly over the radio."Lets get the rest, before the bastards try to leave. Left to right, Green-as-able and red. Fast as you can."

Snape, Harry, Hermione, and Ron overpowerd, confused, and terrified the remaining Death Eaters. The last one standing was half bandaged. He'd already taken a cutting curse earlier in the night. Harry waited a beat, watching him panic and realized their own anti apparition wards were still up, then stunned him.

.o.o.

Rescuing Tonks was grizzly work. Ginny stood by her, offering a hand should she want it, but allowing her space. When they'd first gotten there, Ginny had tried to help her up, and Tonks flinched away, then screamed in pain from moving. Ginny murmured constantly about how it was over, now, and she was with friends, now, and they were going to help her. Hermione stood by Ginny, taking care not to let Tonks feel surrounded, with her hood down. She was casting diagnostic spells, and stasis spells. She couldn't fix most of it, but she could stop the active bleeding and further damage.

Snape took down the wards, so they'd be able to move out when they needed.

Harry, Ron, and Fred, and Neville were dealing with the Death Eaters. The stunned were last. The injured, of which there were more then a few, simply had their wounds cauterized before they became mice. There were more wounds then Harry would have expected. Tonks hadn't gone down easy. It wasn't until Snape pointed out their shields had been reflecting that they realized just why so many of them had been hit with cutting or bashing curses.

Snape watched over the boys. While they muttered about mousehood being too good for the Death Eaters, all of them did make it into a jar. Some of the jars might have been shaken a little harder, but no one guaranteed normal prisoners a gentle handling. And a mouse that bites can expect a response. Harry dropped Nott, then had to summon him back into his jar. He didn't manage to pick up too much speed, but he likely got a concussion from hitting the back of the jar.

There were two Death Eaters that weren't alive to turn. They'd taken reflected _reducto_s, by the look of it, on top of Tonks' spells. Harry asked Snape to turn them into beetles. Leaving behind no answers was part of the plan, and he didn't want to interrupt Hermione to ask if bloody bodies were acceptable intimidation tactics. Harry figured they could always leave them elsewhere, but since all their victims were supposed to be dead, and they disappeared, beetles were produced and pocketed.

After ten minutes of Ginny's quiet murmuring, Tonks went from flinching at every move to clinging to her. Hermione wrapped her in Fred's winter cloak.

"Okay, Tonks, now you get to decide. Auror Healers, St. Mungos, or Order base with Madam Pomfrey?" Hermione didn't want to decide this for Tonks. She wanted her to feel in control.

"... Don't care." Tonks was holding on to Ginny like a lifeline.

"Were you on a mission?" Ginny asked quietly.

Tonks looked up and shook her head, reacting for the first time other the the flinching. "No. Grocery Shopping."

"Lets take you to St. Mungo's, then." Ginny suggested.

"Fine."

Hermione looked into Tonks' eyes. "If we go into St. Mungos' it's public. Ginny can't be seen there, and I'll need to have my hood up. Will you be okay with that?"

Tonks took a deep breath, then let it out slowly, thinking. "Can we warn them ahead of time. I don't want a huge bustle and shouted questions."

"I can do that." Hermione nodded. "I'm going to put my hood up. Do you want to hold onto me while we apperate? I can take you side-along."

"Someday, I'm going to ask you a million questions."

"Someday, we'll answer them. Right now, you work on breathing, and standing."

Hermione apparated them to an ally three blocks from St. Mungos. It wasn't on official apparition point, so it'd be quiet. From there, she enchanted parchment note. 'Attention, Trauma. Patent coming in, in shock, flinching from attack. Requesting quiet entrance, female Healers Accompanied by red cloak.' She tapped the note again, and it folded into an owl and fluttered off doggedly towards the hospital.

"Let give them a few minutes to read that, then walk in."

"Sure, so long as I can keep leaning..."

"If you want to get off your feet, I can figure out levitating a stretcher..."

"I want to walk. I will walk, dammit."

"I'd object, but I think I got all your wounds solidly stopped up."

"Thanks, Hermione. I... I don't..."

"Tonks, let's talk when you're healed, over hot chocolate. In the meantime, try not to say my name towards the little red ridding hood outfit."

"Gotcha, Little Red."

Hermione's wand beeped. "Well, someone's unfolded the note. Let's pop over and get you taken care of."

Hermione apparated them into the hospital's main entrance. Standing by, off to the left, were two women in healers robes. One was holding the owl by its beak, as the paper fluttered halfheartedly. Hermione led Tonks over to them, nodded, and waited. It took Tonks two deep breaths, by she transferred her grip over to the healer with the note, then nodded. As Hermione turned and left, the healers started talking gently behind her. "At whatever speed you can manage, we're going to take this life up to five. Will you be okay in the lift if it's just us?"

.o.o.

Hermione apparated back, through three national parks, to the blood soaked clearing. Harry looked up. "She...?"

"She's in good hands."

"All the mice are off. We decided not to split into groups tonight. We waited for you."

"Thanks. Anything need to be done before we go back?"

"No. Once we leave, Professor Snape will wait a bit, then happen on the site."

Professor Snape nodded. "I was delayed brewing for the hospital wing."

"Take care."

"As your professor, and a veteran, might I proscribe you all a quiet night, together, with hot chocolate?"

Harry nodded. "And toast, and chocolate biscuits. We'll do that. And like she said, take care."

.o.o.

Hermione snuck into the boys dorm to wake up Harry at 2 am. His curtains were open. He wasn't sleeping. Hermione lowered her disillusionment hood and poked his foot, then tilted her head at the door. He joined her, mostly dressed, on the landing a moment later.

"I can't sleep, you weren't sleeping. Want to see if we can tired ourselves out with a walk?"

"Sure. Disillusioned?"

"Might as well. Got the map?"

"Sure. Are we looking out for people?"

"Check and see if any of the team is pacing or anything."

"Mind if I wait until we're down the stairs to to that? Reading and high spiral staircases don't combine well."

"Safety first."

"No one's moving. The entire castle looks dead... except Mrs. Norris, who's searching the astronomy tower."

They walked in silence, invisible to the portraits and each other. It was quiet enough that they could hear each other's footprints, and know that they weren't alone, but they didn't have to talk. They walked in companionable silence for hours.

Around 5 am, they heard another set of feet. Harry pulled Hermione to the side by her cloak, and they stood, breathing quietly. Harry pulled out his map, thinking that every scrap of paper on cloth would give them away. When he saw the name, he sighed in relief.

"I hope you've been well since we parted, Professor Snape?"

Harry rustled to give him warning before he took his hood down. It doesn't do to surprise a spy.

"I've been fine. I likely got more sleep then you and your companion." Snape's head appeared, floating, to look over towards where he'd last heard Hermione's steps.

"It's me, Sir."

"Ah, Miss Granger."

Hermione pulled down her hood, to join the other two floating heads in the hall. "I take it your report was fast, then, Sir?"

"It was. I told Him that I'd been running late due to hospital wing potion requirements, what with idiot dunderheads injuring themselves repeatedly. I told Him it appeared, when I got to the location, that the party had already moved on, and had mostly cleaned up after itself, although there was the tang of blood still."

"He was OK with that?"

"He assumed they'd been and gone in the time it took me to brew the anti-venom for Hagrid's class."

"He wasn't upset you were late?"

Snapped looked down at Hermione. "Don't worry about me. I am not a cause. And no, He wasn't upset with me. He explained that tonight was about boosting the morale of the new recruits, since they've been running nervous. Since I've been around the block, and spend most of my time safe in these walls, I was not the audience for tonight..."

Harry winced. "You mean..."

Hermione interrupted, aghast. "You mean what happened to Tonks was because of us?"

"No, you two. Tonks was attacked because she was an Auror and a woman who had the courage to fight back. She was attacked because Dumbledore let her into his not so secret Order. She was attacked because her mother was a pureblood who married a muggle born. She was attacked because she got into the habit of shopping at the same time every week, and she wore headphones so she couldn't hear people approaching. She wore muggle clothes and used muggle slang. She was not attacked because of you. Because of you and your team, there were twenty five less people in that clearing tonight. It could have been worse. It would have been worse. It has been worse. You lot are making it better."

Harry nodded. Hermione wasn't quiet to that point yet. "But, if it was to boost morale..."

"If it wasn't to boost morale, it would have been to celebrate, or for Nott's half birthday. They're Death Eaters, Hermione. There's a reason I don't object at all to turning them into mice and not treating their self inflicted wounds perfectly. They're evil. The more of them there are together, the less human and more evil they get."

Hermione nodded.

Professor Snape looked at both of them. "I'm glad you weren't out walking alone. Now go to bed."

* * *

><p><p>

NA Depressing, but done, and necessary for realism.

The chapters are starting to sneak up longer and longer, as I get used to posting, and get into the pacing of the story. This chapter, without the first scene was done and partially edited when I posted chapter 9, but it didn't feel right. Comments / concerns on chapter length are welcomed. (All criticism is, really, as it will only help me get better. )

Thanks for reading.


	11. Chapter 11: Revelation

**Same Disclaimer as Always: **Harry Potter, associated characters and setting belong to JK Rowling and whoever she shares the rights with, which does not include me. This is for entertainment purposes only, with no copyright infringement intended, or profit made.

**Chapter 11: **

Publicity was both a blessing and a curse. After all, part of their plan was that people had to learn of them, in order to be afraid of them. However, if the Death Eaters all found out it was just her in a previously fashionably trendy red cloak, well, then it wouldn't work at all. Luna was in charge of all of their press issues, since she was a little to slow to react in crisis situation. It wasn't that she wasn't smart, it was that she saw too much. She saw everything going on, and hadn't gotten the instincts down on what to ignore and what she needed to do first.

Still, Luna trained with them, on Ron's end, where she wasn't a close part of the chain, but mostly she managed to keep and eye and ear out on what was going on. She'd started talking to Lee and a couple of the others on a new radio channel late at night. Hermione was pretty sure she didn't want to know what all was going on, since Luna had that old crush there, on the commentator, but she was getting rumors and other tidbits from the streets.

Now that their plan was working, the problem was that, other people were listening as well. The Department for Magical Law Enforcement damn well wanted to know what was going on. Some of them were concerned because they were missing their Malfoy based bribes, but most of them just really hated being out of the loop, and felt that anything going on that one couldn't tell Aurors about shouldn't be going on. Which is not to say that Hermione didn't think that some of the Auror's weren't rooting for them. Criminals who got off on technicalities were not at all popular with police, after all. But these Aurors thought, based on all the available evidence, that magical Britain had just introduced another mass murdered into the mix. And she was an apparently powerful one, at that.

It was enough to make any Auror wince, really.

Since Hermione didn't want to be taken down by a squad of Hit-Wizard goons the next time she went out and worked, they were trying to leave hints about that they were really only after their specific people they got. After all, Aurors would be happier with a Death Eater hunter then a random jack the ripper type killer.

Luna was in her element. She was writing letters to the editor, and sending anonymous notes to reporters. She also was trying to work out how exactly one went about planting rumors when one only had 18 year olds to employ.

**.o.o.o.**

First thing the morning after, Neville organized a delivery to Tonks at St. Mungos. He already know who to owl order to get Honeyduke's finest chocolate and flowers into closed wards. They signed the card from Little Red and Friends, and paid cash.

Hermione added a note promising Hot Chocolate and gossip at the next opportunity, and that until they talked, Tonks knew nothing about anything before the lobby of St. Mungos She looked up a handwriting modification charm for this exact purpose. She did suppose that the Aurors would notice the note, after all, it did seem threatening, but really, they needed Tonks to be quiet about the whole thing. But they weren't about to hex her quiet, and breaking into an injured Auror's room to explain sensitive material was just a bad idea.

Snape included a separate note, giving her the name of the head of a survivors counciling group.

.o.o.o.

Near the site of the old cave-in leading to the chamber, they charmed Hermione to utter unrecognizablity. Ron thought an outdoor photo would be more believable. George pointed out that they were trying to allow for a healthy skepticism, and that it was snowing, again.

Fred did mention that the shadow charm and red would look stunning on the snow, but since the first snow had led to the first snowball fights, they stayed hidden. Snape came to charm Hermione, and promptly went back to poking the dead basilisk. He'd brought a mobile potions kit this time. The students decided this was typical Snape-like behavior, and left him alone. One doesn't sneak up on a spy, and one doesn't disturb the potions master with a new ingredient.

.o.o.o.

Two days after Rita's article denying the red bogeyman went out, Luna published the blurred, yet shockingly clear photos. She'd been waiting patiently for the opportune moment. It showed a female figure, apparently in a cave, wearing a red cloak, and threatening something off the the right with her wand, then turning towards the camera, surprised. The blurring had been done precisely. The blood splatter was clear as day, and yet her wand was a blurred dark line.

The edition sold out three times, with eight times the normal sales in Knockturn Alley. Luna took great delight in explaining this to Hermione, while showing her the picture in the middle of the Great Hall.

Hermione managed to get out of that conversation with most of her composure, and only slightly pink cheeks. Ron and Harry pranked Neville with a Canary Creme so that they could let out their laughter at her situation.

.o.o.o.

Luna wrote an anonymous letter to the editor of the Quibbler. She asked Snape and Hermione to read it through during the chocolate biscuits portion of the 'Monday' meeting.

_Dear Sirs of the Quibbler, _

_I'm shocked and appalled that you would suggest this red cloaked figure is in any way related to the stories of the bogeyman, either fictional or currently circulating. _

_The fictional, mythological stories always suggest a male figure, deeply swathed, with either a hidden face, or a beaked protrusion. The only thing your figure has in common with such a figure is the hidden face, which is hardly an uncommon attribute. As for any resemblance the the Spanish Sack or Bag Man, who steals bad children creeping out of bed, well, her sack is far to small. The coloration of her cloak, indeed, suggests she is more likely to be the positive antipode, the rewarder of good children, although the blood stains do leave much to be desired in that case._

_As for her relation to the recent rash of disappearances, it is utterly implausible for a bogeyman. The men who have gone missing have nothing in common, other then a penchant for being out after dark.. Those whose memories are longer then their sense are whispering about how many of the missing were on the lists of the cleared followers of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. This is an utterly preposterous link. The three young men last seen near Tinworth, or the three gone from Diagon Alley are far too young to have accused of such things at the end of the last war. They are just too young to have been falsely accused of insidious involvement, and the older set were cleared by the government, and thus, not involved either._

_Let us review the facts. So far, only men have gone missing. Indeed, if one listens closely to the rumors and speculations, the red robed women might even have helped a women into treatment at St. Mungos. While the woman in questions is said to have been bloody and beaten looking, the fact that our mystery figure helped her to the hospital, even if she did so silently and in an imposing fashion, suggests she was not responsible for the wounds. Also, so far, all known disappearances have been at night. This may seem to point to a bogeyman based theory, but it also may simply due to the fact of English winters. Nights are long, and days short._

_I, dear Sirs and Readers of the Quibbler, suggest an alternate theory. I think your picture depicts an avenging Erinyes , known to the Romans as Furies. Women of great power said by some to be descended from Night herself, these furies hunted men who had wronged others, or broken oaths. In Aeschylus's Eumenides, they are even given robes of red. Your picture is not clear enough to show any head-wreaths of serpents, or blood dripping from her eyes, but I suspect that if one took the time to get closer, they would be there._

_The important thing for your readers to note, in all this, is that Furies are very specific avengers. They Hunt only those who have wronged. If I am right, this certainly explains your unnamed cameraman's ability to escape unharmed. My words of caution to Wizarding Britain, though. Do not brake an oath around her. Furies are legendary... for their fury._

_Thanks,_

_Mr. X. L. P. Winster_

_PS. It has been shown that the older a myth or legend is, the more likely it is to have basis in true Magical Creatures. The muggle bogeyman myth postdates the Statute of Secrecy. Our mystery lady is therefore most likely of Greek or Roman extraction._

Luna smiled. "I tried to match the more informative of the letters that Daddy gets."

"It seems to prove more then it disproves, despite it's stated claim of implausibility." Snape looked over the letter again, quill hovering.

"There no way to disprove a negative, but trying makes you sound bad." Hermione pondered the letter.

"Do you mind it? I want to keep this all in the eye of the readers." Luna asked. "Also, antipode was a word of the day in Ravenclaw last month,, and I still hadn't gotten to use it."

"That does help our plans of intimidation..."

"It also helps our circulation. The fight on Furies versus Bogeymen could reach the epic proportions of three years ago with Crumpled versus Non-Crumpled "

Hermione looked at Snape hoping for help, but when she saw none, responded simply "it's a good letter."

.o.o.o.

Someone at St. Mungos read the Quibbler. They released a statement that a red cloaked figure had assisted an injured Auror into the hospital. It said all further statements, included the cause of those injuries, would have to be issued by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

.o.o.o.

Hermione wrote Tonks another letter, reminding her of the uses of anonymity, even from officials at work and at large. It was delivered along with magical instant hot chocolate. The letter, however, conceded that the presence of a single, red cloaked figure of a helpful but silent sort was allowable.

Tonks, taking advantage of a visit, sent Fred's winter cloak back to him with a note thanking him and Ginny for its loan, and that she wished to schedule a conversation.

.o.o.o.

The Department of Magical Law Enforcement, unable to pretend that the St. Mungo's press release didn't happen, issued its own. It stated Auror Tonks had been injured when not on duty. It also stated that they were searching for the reasons behind the recent disappearances; Wizarding, Magical Creature, Muggle, or whatever the true explanation may be. They did take the time to list the missing that they considered to be related to the problem. Tonks' rescue had added another thirteen to the twenty one mice already in the Basement mousery. The ministry only had listed twenty eight missing. MacNair and Nott, both ministry employees, were noticeably missing from the official list.

This was generally agreed by readers to be an uninformative press release, if at least acknowledging their curiosity.

.o.o.o.

Luna got a long letter at breakfast, which she started bouncing while reading. Once she had annoyed her bench mates almost to the point of breaking, she left the table, and started reading the note over the radio.

"Isn't it lovely. The Aurors are threatening legal action if Daddy doesn't give up the name of the photographer."

Harry, leaning over as if to whisper to Hermione, asked "That's a good thing?"

"Yes. It means we got everyone's attention."

"But your father..."

"He can prove he got them anonymously. And he can turn over the envelope and note for them to search all they want."

"You made sure there were no clues on it?"

"We planted too many clues in it. The letter was on the same stock of paper we used for Tonks' card, since I'm sure they have that by now. I braided three hairs from Malfoy together with a strand from the cloak, and spellotaped them on. The photo was developed immediately, not from a negative, and that shows up easily if tested. The traces, beyond that, were all wiped with MacNair's wand." Luna laughed "It'll be fun to see them frustrated when they find that one. I almost want a picture of their faces when they get that set of results back."

Snape swept from the hall, then joined the conversation via radio. "So now they'll know the picture is real, and that whoever took it was working with the Hunter. You think that will keep your dad out of trouble?"

"They're welcome to search him for Malfoy's hairs and for the wand. But that letter was sent via owl, and they'll find it was a well fed owl who carried it a long distance, even if he scourgified it clean before he opened it."

Snape paused for a moment. "...I'm glad you are using your powers for good, Miss Lovegood."

"I'm using my powers for awesome."

.o.o.o.

After he got her letter, Fred visited Tonks every day in the hospital, bringing her silly little things to cheer her up. Neither of them had played with a slinky before, but it apparently made Tonks' day. The healers appreciated anything that saved them from bored Aurors trying to sneak out early.

When Tonks told him that she'd be getting out the next day, he promised her one last visit, with hot chocolate. Tonks simply nodded.

For her last get well soon gift, Fred got her hot chocolates, and instructions on how to change the settings on the WWN he'd brought for her the first day. She'd be able to tell Riding Hood a good time and place to meet.

.o.o.o.

Tonks asked for a meeting over Christmas, at a teahouse in Diagon Alley. It specialized in drinking chocolate, which Tonks' mother had been raving about for weeks, ever since Tonks had asked her for a recommendation on the best drinking chocolate location.

Tonks got a note on her bed bed at Order headquarters, agreeing to the time and location. George put the look on her face when she found it into a pensive, so the teens assembled above the WWW store could appreciate it.

Tonks showed up early,ordered a pot of chocolate, and sat. She sat, and sat, and sat. When she finally asked for the bill, there was a note tucked in with the total. "8 aurors, and 5 phoenixes, plus a wolf bodyguard... please look up private in the dictionary. Don't make me regret rescuing you. Keep your mouth shut."

Snape, who had planted the note, and was technically also one of the order members sent here to spy looked hard at the crestfallen look on Tonks' face. He was rather sure none of them would regret rescuing her any time soon, but her was also sure that the kids running about doing Christmas shopping under the watchful eyes of the elder Weasleys were not going to give up their plan just because Tonks failed to keep her mouth shut. He was hoping guilt would work, but he'd looked over memory charms this morning.

.o.o.o.

Tonks apologized to the radio, saying she'd only told two people about the meeting, she didn't know that many would be following her. she got only static. The next day, when she got back to her room, the radio was gone, replaced with a boring old WWN with only one setting.

* * *

><p>AN And that was a depressing end, sorry.<p>

Chapter 12 is at 2000 words. Should be up in two days.

I'm working on not being bitter that my other story has almost the same number of reviews as this one. It is, after all, a happy, fluffy romance in a popular 'ship. It is also not an M, nor in progress.


	12. Chapter 12: Continuation

**Disclaimer: **Harry Potter, associated characters and setting belong to JK Rowling and whoever she shares the rights with, which does not include me. This is for entertainment purposes only, with no copyright infringement intended, or profit made.

**Warning:** Language, once

**Chapter 12: Continuation**

Harry stood in front of a mirror, looking at himself, and wondering how he got there. He was up on a step stool, wearing a pair of shorts and his under-shirt, that wasn't bad. However, he was also wearing a red cloak, stuffed bra, and heeled boots. Hermione wouldn't let him put the hood up, either, to his eternal shame. He was attempting to hold still and watch Hermione pin the hem of the cloak in the conjured mirror, when, to his horror, Professor Snape walked into their work room.

Professor Snape paused to take in the scene and laughed, hard.

"On the positive side, Sir, you should laugh more often" Hermione complemented her professor. "On the negative side, since I'm the one who blackmailed Harry into this situation, I'm the one who would be responsible for killing you should the memories leak to the media, understood?"

"Quite clear, thank you, Miss Granger."

"Thanks Hermione. I am glad you took the responsibility for this. I'm... I'm going to have to figure out a good explanation for this, other then Hermione told me so, aren't I?"

"Well, if you didn't have the slight build you do, this wouldn't work. Remember when Fred tried one of these on?" Hermione put the last couple of pins in. "Plus, I will never be upset with you unquestioningly following my orders, but yes, you should likely have asked questions. Now give me the cloak."

"Harry took off the cloak, showing off the stuffed bra he was wearing over his undershirt. "So, Hermione, why was I up there, and can I take this off before Professor Snape hurts himself smirking too hard?"

"Feel free to take that off. And you were up there because I can't pin things on myself. I added better sleeves to the cloaks, although I think it being a cloak with sleeves makes it a robe, and they changed the shape of the hem."

Harry sighed as he tried to get the bra off of himself. "And you didn't think to have me pin it while you wore it?" He sighed again, hands both trying to reach the middle of his back. "These things are so much easier when you can see what you are doing."

"Do tell, Harry" "No, don't tell, Mr. Potter, or at least wait until I and my delicate sensibilities are out of the room."

"Why did you come up, anyway, Professor?"

"I just managed to confiscate a primitive map, possibly inspired by one made by the Former Mr. Potter of Gryffindor. I was using it to patrol the halls when I noticed you two were up here. I will warn you that I suspect the map was mass produced, at least in a bulk of twenty or more. Hufflepuffs have been turning and fleeing before I get into sight."

"So either the Hufflepuffs have developed a Snape Proximity ward, or there's many maps running around the castle."

"Indeed. And you two just spent half an hour with your dots overlapping in your private workroom. Please, for the sake of my not having to listen to gossip, make sure you are fully dressed, and have a new invention when you come out."

"Thank you, for the warning, Sir." Hermione smiled.

"We'll make sure we are the souls of the appearance of propriety." Harry smirked.

"While we figure out how to remove ourselves from those maps." Hermione was already looking over their library.

"Which, we'd gladly share our results with you, Sir, if you happen to come across another sample for our experimentation purposes."

"I'll go confiscate one now. If you can get them to stop working reliably by the end of the first day of use, it will make them all the more suspect. And Gryffindor will acquire 15 points from some other teacher."

.0.0.0.

_Tonks_

_This letter is a portkey. Don't be inside wards to prevent it, Sunday._

_Last chance to talk. Come alone. Don't be followed. I'll assume followers are spies, and act accordingly. _

_-Little Red_

_PS. If you aren't going to be able to keep your mouth shut, burn this. You know you trust me. Why is this so hard?_

.0.0.0.

"I asked the Professor to bring in a pensive for this meeting because I had the awkward position of overhearing a fight at headquarters, and I think it's relevant."

"Thanks, Fred." They watched as Fred extracted the silvery strand, directing it into the pensive with his wand.

"Everyone in."

They arrived to see Remus in the sitting room at Grimmuld place, looking frustrated. "Dora, you can't be serious. You just got hurt, being out on your own."

"Yes, yes I got hurt, but she's the one who saved me, and she got me back, and she even got me female healers. She's not a threat."

"Look at those letters, Did you read them? She's threatening you left, right, and center. You're not safe with her."

"I know I'm safe with her, and she's writing like that because she's worried that she left herself exposed when she rescued me. It would have been simpler if she had just obliviated me."

"How... Dora, how can you say that?"

"I'm sworn to report pertinent facts to the Aurors. They know I know more then I'm saying, since she's taking the trouble to tell me to keep my mouth shut. I'm also sworn to report to the order. I told you both about the planned meeting-"

"-but not how you planned it."

"Remus, don't interrupt. I told you both I had a private meeting, and what do I get, I get stood up because the people I work for can't respect what I tell them."

"I don't see why you want to meet her, anyway?"

"I want to know what the hell is going on that led to her wearing that cloak..."

"So you do know who it is..."

"Remus, go home.."

"The rest of us are in this fight too. We deserve to know."

"But you don't deserve to sit in on the meeting where I cry my heart out and thank her for being there for me when I most needed it. And both my damn boss and the fucking Order can't seem to figure that bit out. Now, Remus, go home – or, better yet – I'll go home, or at least somewhere else."

"Dora... we just want you to be safe.."

"And your actions are chasing me out of the nice warded headquarters. Think, Remus. Think about that."

Fred looked up, just as the teens floated up and out of the memory.

"Thoughts?" Hermione asked.

"We could wait until she comes, and obliviate her." Snape stated the obvious. "I practiced before the last meeting, in case it all went... badly."

"That doesn't seem very sporting, but it's a possibility." Harry nodded.

"We could wait until she comes. Ask if she'd write a note to herself saying she's happier not knowing, then oblivaite her." Ron added.

Ginny looked at her brother, then thought. "Somehow, I think that wouldn't work. No one likes gaps in their memories."

Harry spoke next. "Could we... have her make an oath not to reveal it? But, then, could the Auror department claim they had a prior oath or something?"

Snape leaned in, and waited until he had all of their attention. "What that fight didn't show was the debate that Tonks has been having with her Department. She has claimed that since she was not on duty, and she saw no evidence that you are participation in anything illegal, she's not obliged to tell all to the department."

Fred and George laughed. "Oh, they must love that."

"It's not the most popular idea. However, some of them seem sympathetic to the idea that she may not wish to betray her rescuer."

Hermione spoke up. "Given that kidnapping people and turning them into mice is very likely actually illegal, how long will that argument last?"

"Until they get frustrated and give her veritaserum ?"

Ginny spoke up. "It might not last, but it might, even if they get frustrated. She didn't really see much. She wasn't in a position to see much. She may have seen a few stunners, but it could be argued they they were being used in defense... admittedly, defense of her. We didn't charge in firing AKs."

"We did charge in and fire green spells, though." Harry pointed out.

"If we tell her that we were using a different green spell, and it comes out in court, then the cat is out of the bag."

"Damn."

"Indeed." Snape's word felt final. "While we all ponder that, might I ask another question? Earlier I reached into my pocket for a piece of chock, and pulled out two beetles."

Snape put a jar with two dead beetles on the table.

Harry winced.

"It is very lucky my second years are not aware that these are are, in fact, transfigured Death Eaters. The casualties from the raid for Tonks."

The whole group looked at the two dead insects.

Hermione sighed. "Perhaps a jar, each, labeled. They are already in insect form. While it's not very respectful, we can't just turn them over to their families."

Harry nodded. "And I hate to say this, but I still worry about our mice plotting escape. Having visible lessons of others who didn't make it might be good."

"I have ingredient jars with stasis spells, like that one. It would prevent mess should they ever be transformed back." Snape offered. "Well, more mess then there will be from them sitting about in my pocket for a week. I suspect the house elves took them out, laundered the coat, and put them back."

.o.o.o.o.

Tonks, sat, staring at the letter. She was on a couch at her mother's house. She'd shown up furious from her fight with Remus, refused to go into work, an asked them to make sure that she, but not others could portkey in and out of the house. Her mother was more the a little confused, but perfectly willing to support her daughter. After all, adjusting wards to make her feel comfortable and safe wasn't a huge task.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow was Sunday.

.o.o.o.

The 'Monday' meeting was being held on a Saturday night.

Snape started by objecting to the timing. "I suspected that I am being held captive until the other students are done with their mischief."

"You can leave after toast if you like. We want you to hear the reports. Think of it as letting them have a false sense of security before you attack. Also, it will let them get far enough from their common rooms it will be a challenge to get back."

"Fine, reports."

Luna smiled. "The great debate rages in the Quibbler. Is she a bogeyman? Is she a Fury? There is a distinct voting block for Nemisis, after all she had a chariot pulled by Griffons, and you wear red. At this point, only those spirits and creatures that avenge or punish misdeeds are being considered. The readership of the Quibbler had gotten the theme of the blood soaked cape and the missing Death Eaters quiet well."

Fred waited to see if Luna was done, the reported. "Death Eaters are not going out at night. They are traveling in packs. I saw at least two with borrowed small children as shields."

Hermione winced. "We should discourage that."

George nodded. "I was thinking about sticking small bits of red cloth to the children, and seeing how long their mothers put up with the threat."

Hermione looked about. "Harry, Neville?"

Harry smiled. "We're all no longer on any maps. We're unplottable. Others are flickering in and out, both to disguise who we made unplottable, and to make the maps less popular. I feel bad for the Puffs, it was a good effort, but they had access to too much information. On the other hand, with both their map, and our map, Neville had an idea." Harry paused here. "With the Professor's permission, we'd like to try to make a map that would trace dark marks, or failing that, just track everyone magical, and record our findings."

Neville continued "Even if we can't make a dark mark tracking map, making a map that would track everyone, and, here's the big thing, record it all, would help us find the location of sneaky hideouts, or help us figure out the habits of the remaining know Death Eaters."

Harry took up the thread. "I'm pretty sure the Auror's would love to do this sort of thing, but everyone who votes has guilty secrets, even if it's just a weekly chocolate run. We'd delete people who are just going about their business, but those who we have our eye on, well, we'd have a better eye on them."

Snape shook his head. "If the 'sneaky hideouts' you are looking for are warded, it won't help. Most people will be floo-ing or apparating to them."

Harry sighed in frustration. "We'll still know who's disappearing off the map. That's useful, at least. And the time they do so. It should help us figure out who's popping off to the meetings behind the masks, Sir."

"Fine. It's a good project, just not the end all be all of the war." Snape nodded, having tamped down some of the rampant optimism.

There was a moment of silence.

Luna spoke up. "Speaking of maps, Malfoy, the Room of Requirement, ideas?"

Harry looked surprised. "I've been busy. Fill me in?"

Luna nodded. "Malfoy is doing something up in the Room. He had Goyle and Crabbe guarding the door. Once word got out about the maps and what they could do, he stopped going up there. He's been unhappy looking."

"Any idea what he's up to?"

Snape stated flatly. "He's trying to kill Dumbledore." The teens around the table gasped. "Why he's up there, I don't know, but that's his assignment. He was assigned that duty by the Dark Lord, in response to his father's failure in the Department of Mysteries. His father, as you know, bribed everyone on this island, apparently, and got out, but the family is still not in favor."

Everyone asked questions at once. Hermione shushed them, and waited until she ha paper, quill and ink, then started asking.

"Sir, does Dumbledore know everything you've told us?"

"Yes."

"Does Malfoy have the Mark?"

"Both do, yes." Hermione nodded, acknowledging her question had been vague.

"What's Dumbledore's plan?"

"To let him keep trying, to save him from the Dark Lord's wraith. To let him get close enough that he realizes he's not a killer. To have me... well, there's a complication."

"What is it? As much as you can say, if you're under an oath of secrecy, Sir."

"Narcissa Malfoy came to me to ask for my oath of assistance for Draco. It was this summer, while Lucius's fate was still in debate. As I had two wand pointed at me, I went along with it."

"The wording... you swore to assist him?"

"Yes."

"Would you consider removing him from the situation and getting him under a fake identity and better set of wards to be assisting him?"

"Yes."

Would you consider turning him into a mouse to be assisting him?"

"I..." It looked like Snape wanted to say yes, but either his conscience, or the oath, or both got a hold of him. "No, sorry."

"It was a thought. Lets make plans for an involuntary jailbreak for Draco. He'll be killed by the red cloaked one, and a brunette with a love of flying and potions will appear in America, somewhere."

Harry spoke up. "Hold on, Hermione. If Draco fights us, fights the identity change... He's a marked Death Eater. He could get the information to all the wrong people. Binding oaths of silence have to be voluntary. Forcing them only makes them weaker."

Hermione sighed.

Harry turned to Snape. "Professor, perhaps you should go patrol. We'll work on ways to assist Draco without you having your oath poking at you."

Snape glared at them all. "I do care for my god-son. He's been put in a bad position. Take care."

"We'll be as nice as we can. Private tutoring in a safe house isn't the worst thing that could happen, after all."

Snape nodded, apparently content that they weren't going to take advantage of his absence to plan the torture of his godson. He took his broom back towards the tunnel for the girl's bathroom.

Once he was out of earshot, The table broke out in discussion. "How can Dumbledore find this acceptable?" "Letting Death Eaters run about." "I bet he was behind that thing with Katie." "I wish we could check all of Hogwarts for Dark Marks. Clean it all up at the same time."

Hermione sighed. "If only. It's a good long term goal. Lets work towards it, next Monday. But tomorrow is Sunday. That means we're having hot chocolate while kidnapping a Auror. Plans."

Ron nodded. This one was his job. "Were having all hands on deck, no one visible when it goes off, which will be at ten oh five am. We're using Sirius's cave, since it's small, controlled, and anyone who tries an apparition trace will end up trying to apparate into rock ninety percent of the time." At Hermione's look he elaborated. "The Aurors can get close to where you went by doing something, but everything I've read or found about it says they'll be off by a bit, more for each second after you left that they started the trace. Three seconds of response time will have them trying to apparate into rock, which heir own magic won't allow, so they can't follow."

"So they'll just spin on the spot?"

"Yup, as if they'd hit wards."

"Okay. I assume trying to catch any followers off guard is why we're doing it at ten oh five, instead of at ten?"

"Indeed."

"And we'll be lined up at the cave entrance?"

"The better to set off the wars and run like bloody hell if It goes bad."

"Okay. What wards?"

"One that makes people glow. Invisible, whatever, they'll glow. We've got the edge of that marked out on the ground. We'll stay on our side of it, and not glow, while any passengers that come along with Tonks will."

Hermione sighed. "Is it bad that I just want to have her come, then leave her a note, or something? I don't want to explain. I don't think I can, now."

"You'll have all of us, don't worry." Ginny leaned over to pat Hermione's free hand.

"The other wards?"

"We can put a panic lock on the cave. We threw everything at it, It's all already cast. It will go up if anyone says the trigger word, 'Adios'. The wards aren't pretty, and they won't last long, but it will give us time to apperate. Make sure you stay on our side of the line."

"Anything else?"

"Winky's making a high tea. I asked for hot chocolate for a guest.. She's got an armchair and a Three level tea table on both sides of the line."

AN This is long enough. We'll talk to Tonks next time. Thanks for reading. Thanks to those who reviewed. My last authors note was a little too close to begging for reviews for me to be comfortable with it.

PS I just realized, while writing about Draco, that the elder Malfoy was arrested in the Ministry at the end of the previous year. Lets all pretend that he slimed his way out of jail time, for the sake of my plot. Thanks.

PPS MacNair, too. I've now got a list of Death Eaters, and their cannon prison time. Let's hope I can stop making silly mistakes.


	13. Chapter 13: Altercation

**Disclaimer: **Harry Potter, associated characters and setting belong to JK Rowling and whoever she shares the rights with, which does not include me. This is for entertainment purposes only, with no copyright infringement intended, or profit made.

**Chapter 13: Altercation**

Ron looked about the seemingly empty clearing in front of Sirius's old cave. "Well, everyone ready for Tonks to come to tea?"

The twins answered first, in their usual manner. "Yes, Ronikins" said George. "We've been ready for hours. And so has the food." Fred finished.

"Mr Weasley, please refrain from using that nickname for Mr. Weasley in my presence. For one, he's your commander on this mission. For two, I wouldn't want to slip up and start thinking of him by that-"

Harry interrupted. "Thirty seconds."

Ron spoke up. "Everyone look around for visible traces of us, other than the food."

Ginny asked "Anyone know how to get rid of footprints?"

Snape's voice answered, "_Tergo vestigium" _and the prints in the snow disappeared.

"Cool, Professor." "We've been looking for that one for ages." "Never did manage to find it."

"It's not in the library for a reason, you two. Don't share it."

"Can we make Sneaky Sneakers?"

"I don't-"

"We'll give you a cut of the-"

"Five. Four."

The group got silent, and faced towards their target areas. Ron had someone facing in every direction, just in case.

Tonks had apparently been sitting when the portkey activated, since she came through squatting, and promptly hit the ground, sitting gracelessly.

They waited; one breath, two.

A glow appeared, ten meters behind her. She'd been followed.

The glow was stunned by three hexes. It dropped.

Tonks stayed on the ground, hands still and visible.

They waited another forty five seconds, just to make sure no one else followed.

Hermione swept off her over cloak, and summoned 'the spy.' She then summoned invisibility cloaks, and cast general finites about the cave, and at Tonks., before asking "Tonks, who am I?"

"You're Hermione, Gryffindor sixth year, and friend of the Weasleys."

"When you saw this cloak before it was part of the plan, who was wearing it?"

Tonks tilted her head, and then her eyes grew large with a moment of epiphany. "Fred tried it on, at the Burrow. We joked about little red ridding hood, and Remus. I didn't connect it... Until now."

"You're you, then."

The others, at her pronouncement, lowered the hoods on their disillusionment cloaks. Harry's floating head was the first to greet her with a 'wotcher' while Fred told her she was looking well.

A second figure in red cloak, this one with blond hair, offered to take care of the disillusioned lump that had followed her. Tonks started to nod. The others looked at her.

Luna's voice was excited. "I have an idea."

Snape smirked.

Tonks shuddered. "No offense, professor, but you smirking like that is downright scary."

Snape continued smirking. "No, Tonks, you don't know scary until you've seen this lot in full idea mode. The second red cloak over there is our propaganda officer."

Tonks looked around. "So this is your group, then?"

Snape laughed, and watched the mystery lump taken away by Luna, before he sat to poke at the tea trays. They contained more toast then normal. "No, I had no more idea than the average Death Eater until I was a mouse, sitting in the dark in a jar trying to remember how I acquired a tail. Miss Granger turned me back, using a scarily green spell, and asked for my silence."

"Professor Snape has been a great help to us, after that bad start. We did apologize for not being able to tell Death Eaters apart."

"Wait, mouse?"

"We've got them all as mice. They are easier to store, and they don't eat so much as mice."

Tonks started laughing.

Ginny made as if to move towards her.

Snape stopped her. "No, let her. Anyone required to work with you on this insane idea needs some time to adjust to their new realities."

"But..."

"Ron, look, biscuits..." With that distraction, the twins, Ron and Ginny gave the rest of the time to talk.

Tonks saved them time and angst, by telling them she'd gladly take an oath of silence about their identities and tactics. She did ask if the lump was an Auror. "Because if it it, and he followed me here, well, secret conspiracies other than you would have killed us both. I think I'll use ministry disregard for Auror's lives as a reason to quit."

Snape crossed his arms, touching his wand, in his holster, to the radio shrunken into his watchband, and asked "Miss... Propaganda. Identity on the intruder? Specifically, Auror or no?"

They all tilted their head, listening, and laughed at the same time. Hermione answered Tonks' question aloud. "He has an Auror badge, but Propaganda is waiting to see if he shifts at the end of an hour. He has written orders to follow you, but they aren't on Auror letterhead."

Tonks shook her head. "The laughing in unison is also scary, and I'm still quitting. A crooked spy is not better then a stupid department. In fact, the second can only exist in the first."

"You have to do as your conscience says."

"My conscience wants to help you lot."

Ron heard this and hook his head. "Not now. You're under too much supervision and suspicion. Wait. Be boring. Snog Professor Lupin.. Go in and tell them all about how fast the spells flew and that you're sure no human could cast that fast. Then keep your head down."

Fred smiled at her. "When you've gotten the heat off of you, we'll get you a radio, so you can play 'spot the dark mark.'"

.o.o.o.

Tonks had been followed by Auror Dawlish.

Auror Dawlish was sent back to middle of Diagon Alley by portkey, wearing a red cloak pinned with his auror badge, a sign that says ' I spy on aurors' and nothing else. He'd been dosed with a potion to make him forget the last two hours, and dosed with a sleeping draugh.

His wand was delivered next day, by owl, to Head of Department of Magical Law enforcement, asking if he was spying on Tonks for them, or if he was taking side jobs. It included his orders, and stated that, if the ministry was so underfunded that their Aurors needed the pay from extra day jobs, perhaps the goblins could arrange a loan... The note, sent 'from the desk of a mysterious yet real figure' used more Malfoy hairs as a signature and authenticity marker.

.o.o.o.

"Luna, how do you keep decorating things with Malfoy hairs?"

"Wanna come help me harvest more?"

Harry looked slightly traumatized, but agreed to go along. Hermione accompanied them, wearing her cloak, hood up.

The mice all squeaked when they came in. Hermione settled down at a table pushed all the way into the corner, and watched. She had out a muggle pen and ink, to take notes. Her wand was visible at her wrist.

Luna started her narration. "So, I've been warding up this circle, here, the one marked out in melted silver on the stone. It's got magic suppression, better then the one we've got over the cages, because we can cast into it, but spells from the inside don't work. Anyone inside has no power to draw on, so wandless or not doesn't matter."

"Luna, have you been doing this all on your own?"

"Dobby and Winky have helped. And I got the spell to melt down metal from the twins, who said they didn't want to know."

"Luna, bring a few more people when you intend to transform someone. I know the elves are powerful, but the Death Eaters like to forget that. I don't want you looking like a tempting target at all."

"That makes sense. After all, they base their ideas on their presumptions even though they know some of them to be wrong."

"Yes, well, mental paradoxes abound. But, Luna, be safe."

"Yes, Sir."

"Call me Harry."

"Yes Sir Harry."

Hermione snorted, over in her corner.

"The elves will be here in a moment. They move the cage for me. I'll open it with magic, levitate him out, then transform him."

"He won't run out of the circle?"

"The silver is electrified. I had to work very hard to figure out a muggle solution. Apparently, most electric fences just kill mice, rather then containing them." Luna bit her lip, here, looking obviously worried. "I do hope we got the voltage turned down enough."

Harry smiled inwardly at the acting."

"If not, we have beetle jars, and we'll have learned something." Harry's response silenced the mice, who were all watching, up at the front of their cages, except Malfoy Sr. who was hiding in his cardboard tube.

The elves arrived, and moved Malfoy's cage into the circle. Harry noted that neither of the creatures got fully into the circle. They just placed the cage in, and pushed it, magically, to the center.

Soon, there was a disheveled and disoriented Lucius Malfoy standing in the center of the circle. The house elves had cast... something, silently, to hold him still until Luna tied him up.

Harry smirked. "For the record, note: Grooming as a mouse does not seem to translate fully to human form. Or he takes much longer to get ready normally then I'd expect."

"It's a matter of expectations. It's like seeing two women, one who always wears makeup, one who doesn't. If you see them first thing in the morning, the one who doesn't wear makeup looks far batter, because you're used to her like that. You'll notice the makeup users every line, " here Luna gestured at Malfoy's frown lines, "the bags under her eyes, and the skin imperfections. Because you're used to seeing that person as perfect, it magnifies their flaws."

Malfoy growled "Quiet, girl!"

"Well, he's sane enough to speak, but not sane enough to think about who's in a position of power..." Hermione noted from her corner.

"That was a little growl like, though." Harry added, thoughtfully.

Luna nodded.

Malfoy took a deep breath, and the another. "I do think I am currently sane."

Hermione, every one to investigate. "Do you think continuing to live as a mouse will change that? If so, you you think it will progress at a fast or slow rate?"

Malfoy glared, but answered. "I think that the lack of intellectual stimulation will be the largest cause of insanity. We can speak to each other, in a limited way. However, the rodent language does not allow for long intellectual discussions. It lacks the vocabulary. Also, I think the attention span is affected by the form."

"You get bored easy, and there are only so many meanings to squeak."

Malfoy simply nodded.

"Are your basic needs taken care of?"

"Yes." He answered shortly.

"I noted you like your cardboard tube."

"While I know, intellectually, of it's muggle origins, it provides a sense of security to the... fuzzy instincts."

"Anything else?"

He hesitated. "...May I ask... If I may ask.."

All three looked at him, and waited.

"News of my family would be greatly appreciated."

"Your son's god-father is looking after him. He won't let us turn him into a mouse. Your wife is an adult, unmarked. We have yet to see any reason to concern ourselves with her."

Malfoy nodded, grateful. He may not have been brave enough to actually ask his captors, but he had craved news.

"Malfoy, our propaganda officer has been using your hairs to sign things we need authenticated as coming from us. We're going to cut some more off. Hold still."

Malfoy closed his eyes as he saw two wands pointed at him. Luna was good at cutting the up close to the top, getting nice long, recognizable hairs. Harry had no practice with grooming spells, and was less precise.

Luna summoned the hairs into an envelope.

"Any last words before you become a mouse for and unknown period of time?"

"The Dark Lord will ge-"

Hermione silencing spell hit him just before Harry's.

Luna giggled. "I guess that's a no."

She turned him back into a mouse, now slightly patchy, and levitated him back into his cage. She checked the latch three times before nodding at Dobby and Winky, who returned him to his spot on the shelf.

.o.o.o.

One Monday night, a call came out from Lee.

"I'm in Diagon Alley, on the edge towards Knockturn. There's a guy named Yaxley, who's on the list. He's on his own, apparently picking up every paper known to wizards, even the ones in french."

"Fred and George, here, we're with Lee, and have volunteered to stay here and delay, delay delay, but we do ask you to come quick."

Harry spoke next, from his work bench, where he was making a Ravenclaw first year 'family' clock, with times for 'homesick,' 'lost,' 'should ask a prefect' and 'should have been assigned a tutor last week.' "I declare this a quick in and out. We will apparate in illegally, stun, shoot green while pretending to summon, confound, and get out. and get out, also apparating illegally. We will do it all quickly. We will have Hermione visible. Let's hope the shock factor make it ok."

"Ah, Gryffindor planning." Snape's baritone was distinctive over the radio.

"You're in charge of confounding people, Sir, so that we look good."

"I should teach you that, shouldn't I?"

"It would help."

The students, and their professor scrambled through the tunnel to the shrieking. shack. Ginny could be heard over the radio, muttering quietly. "Silly wards. So annoying when you're breaking twenty laws in a night."

They got there to find that a double handful of. Peruvian Blackness Powder had gone off between the newsstand and the main streets, so that people don't have a line of sight on what's happening.

The proprietor was backing towards the stone wall behind him, taking in the entire scene. Snape gleefully confounded him, telling him "You hid, you saw nothing, and in the future, you will make every effort to get Potions Weekly on time. Three days late is not acceptable."

Harry decided it wasn't worth the effort to reign him on that account. Neville was guarding Snape's back. Harry and the others were blasting Yaxley's shield, trying to take him down fast.

With the whole formation working together, they got him stunned. Snape and Neville had rejoined the formation and Hermione had her wand up to cast Muskipulae, when...

"**Stop in the name of the law**."

Eight Aurors had emerged from the darkness, and had Hermione in their wand sights.

Harry's order over the radio was quick. "Hold bloody still." Most had frozen in instinct, and they stayed that way.

"Hermione, feel free to deal with them. The rest of us, try not to be visible."

Everyone stayed frozen for a bit on both sides. The look in the Aurors eye's told Hermione they didn't expect to find her in the middle of Diagon Alley. Hermione would have looked similarly shocked if her eyes had been visible.

Hermione slowly nodded at the Aurors. Even more slowly, moving at the speed of a glacier, she aimed her wand at Yaxley's left arm.

The Aurors didn't like the though of her casting, and she could see the getting twitchy. She carefully cast a summoning charm wordlessly at his left sleeve. His robe and shirt sleeves moved out of the way. There,the dark mark stood out clearly against his pale skin.

The Aurors collectively breathed in at the same time. Hermione moved her wand, slowly, so she was covering Yaxley, and only barely in position to defend herself. She was intentionally moving her wand further from the Aurors.

The Aurors relaxed, slightly.

Kingsley moved slightly forward, changing his wand grip to cover Yaxley, not Hermione. "You were taking a Death Eater."

Hermione, swathed in red and shadowing charms, nodded at Kingsley. She couldn't speak, he'd know her voice.

Kingsley spoke again. "We'd like to arrest him, since he's a Death Eater. He'll go to trial."

Hermione tilted her head at him. They hadn't known he was a Death Eater, so how would they have enough evidence...

Kingsley understood her dilemma. "The mark is enough reason for veritaserum."

Hermione nodded, and gestured towards Yaxley with her off hand.

"Before they expect it, apparate to the cave in three, two, one.."

As they all arrived and counted each other, Fred and George went back to their store, in order to be halfway through making dinner by the time anyone figured out they might be witnesses.

The others went back to the shack, waited thirty seconds, and then started to make their way towards the trapdoor.

Hermione, however, sat down hard on the floor of their apparition section. "Am I allowed to hyperventilate, now that it's over?"

Snape looked over at her. "You've done more today to win the favor of the Aurors to your cause than anything Tonks could do. You gave them a prisoner, showed them proof, and left. They'll like you now."

"Why is it I'm so much worse after facing Aurors then Death Eaters?"

Harry smiled at her. "It was the first time you've seen Aurors go into battle mode. We've seen Death Eaters."

Ron nodded. "Besides, with your instinctive love of rules, which we have not completely broken down, you've got issues facing down the law."

Ginny nodded. "Plus, we're keeping a huge secret. You did well. You should be proud. But if you want to hyperventilate, we can have Winky bring you a paper bag."

.o.o.o.

Two nights later, a mist filled Slytherin house. Those awake to see it coughed for two minutes before falling where they lay. Like Peruvian Instant Darkness, nothing would dispel the mist. The one Slytherin sixth year, up late studying, who though of a bubble head charm saw a figure in a red cloak, with a red handkerchief over the bottom of her face before he was stunned.

Most students, already in bed, just fell into a deeper sleep where they lay.

In the morning, when they woke, Draco Malfoy was gone.

Every student woke to a printed note on their trunk, "Dark Marks among the students. Cursed Presents in the Streets of Hogsmead. This is NOT the Hogwarts Way. Hogwarts will be Safe. Hogwarts will be Clean." It was accompanied by a scrap of red fabric.

Draco's headboard had a new carving. "Boot Licking Dark Filth"

When Harry asked Luna why he was carving that particular phrase in, Luna said it was language the Slytherins would understand. Hermione once again mocked him for following orders first, and asking questions second.

As promised to Professor Snape, they perused every dorm, not just Slytherin. (They had negotiated this in exchange for passwords for them all.) Luna made them wait to do Ravenclaw last, as"Someone will always be up reading. But somewhere around 4 am, even they go to bed. After all, one has to be awake in classes."

.o.o.o.

The panic the next day was complete and utter. A special afternoon edition of the Prophet was printed. It had student's testimonies of the Bogeymen leaving notes in every dorm at every bed, and the disappearance of a student, straight from his bed. Parents who had heard the news were panicking according to the paper.

Dumbledore issued a statement that Hogwart's wards were still up and in effect, and that no one with malicious intent could get in.

The Quibbler special edition came out two hours later, with a picture of a stunned Draco Malfoy without his left sleeve, dark mark showing. The headline read "Hogwarts will be clean."

Parents weren't sure whether to panic further, now knowing that a Death Eater had been living within the castle, or calm down and be glad that he was gone.

Luna wrote a note to Snape, asking if he'd like to have an attempted kidnapping or two, to keep his cover He snorted when he read it. Luckily, no one saw. Unfortunately for his dignity, they heard it over the radio.

.o.o.o.

Rumors were flying left and right. Draco's capture moved the fight to a new level. It brought home to the students that this was a real phenomenon, especially after the red cloaked figure had been reported. The sixth year told everyone around him how Dumbledore had watched it over and over in his pensive.

Luna came to talk to Hermione and Ginny one lunch break. "I heard Nott's mother ran off to an old school friend's place in Newfoundland, Canada. The wives and other supporters are afraid. They don't know who's next. Draco had the Mark, but he was under age. According to the old rules, he was untouchable. People are starting to think wives and kids might not be so safe."

AN Look, it's another chapter. And 10 pages long, too.

Normally, a chapter title either volunteers, or I have to go scrounging in the rhyming dictionary for it. This one volunteered, but only after I'd written the chapter. Chapter 14: Expansion named itself quickly. Expect it along promptly.

Thanks for reading. Hits make me happy.


	14. Chapter 14:  Expansion

**Disclaimer: **Harry Potter, associated characters and setting belong to JK Rowling and whoever she shares the rights with, which does not include me. This is for entertainment purposes only, with no copyright infringement intended, or profit made.

**Chapter 14: Expansion**

Early on a Thursday, they were meeting in the workroom.

Hermione was in charge, as usual. "Sooo... Start of meeting. We have toast. That means next is reports?" Hermione looked to her left.

"Fred and I bought more puffskein... urr... mouse food. No one seems to want to know what we're doing with that much. I assume the pet place thinks we're breeding more mini-puffs, and that there will be more profit for them down the line. "

"We've got a bulk discount, and a punch card now." George added and nodded.

"We're regulars." Fred nodded along with his twin.

"Ok, Neville."

"The map. The map works, kinda. We have to go to locations to add them to the map, so far, or have someone who's on the map go to the new location."

Harry added on. "In order to get someone on the map, they have to go to a location that is already on the map. It's a slow start, but we think it'll get huge pretty quick."

"We don't think we'll ever have a full map, though. Shut-ins will stay in, and people will not go to their vacation cottage for years, or something."

"But it looks good, and we're going to add Diagon Alley soon, and see if it doesn't break."

"Did you limit it to the UK?"

"Um..."

"Harry, your map _will_ break if it tries to map the world."

Neville spoke up. "We did remember to limit it to magical. We've found how to do that, after version three point two crashed trying to map Glasgow." Professor Snape covered his eyes with his hand for a moment, while he took a deep breath.

"Who knew the elves went to farmer's markets." Neville shrugged.

Hermione looked thoughtful. "Will it show squibs?"

"We haven't been able to differentiate Squibs from muggles, but we can add them on one at at time. Filtch is listed."

"Anything else?"

"In terms of 'project justify our workroom' Flitwick adores our 'first year family clock' and the other heads of houses, yourself excluded, sir, want them."

"Oh, I want one as well, but I figured I could tell you here, rather then singing your praises in public."

"Umm, right, understood. It's only fair, after all, to make one for all the houses."

Ginny leaned in. "Does it follow them up through the years?"

"No, it only does first years, or more specifically, those living in the first year dorms. So next year, it will show the new first years. I figured they're the least like to complain about being spied on, and also the most likely to benefit from the help."

"Right. Can I make a request?"

"Sure. "

"Can we put a Ginny Weasley memorial 'time' on there, with possessed or under the influence of a dark power?"

"Hrm... We can try. New times either work or they don't." Harry seemed to be thinking.

"Possessed shouldn't be too hard, the other thing you said – under a dark power- may be too big or too vague." Neville was writing it down in his notes.

Harry looked up after it was silent for a minute. "We're done. Next."

Next was Ron, who was giving out apparition coordinated for twenty backup places to apperate to, so they wouldn't keep using the cave or the shack. "If we're going to run into Aurors, I want up to be able to scatter, and confuse their tracking spells. Also, always jumping to the same place means one of them _will _get lucky at some point."

They all nodded. Ron continued. "Sunday afternoon we can go see all those places. Most are wilderness, so there shouldn't be anything to hit, besides trees, but still." Ron turned to look at Luna.

"I didn't do anything. Well, not really. I told Rita to ask which of the Auror's credited in Yaxley's arrest actually stunned him, and how they knew he was a Death Eater. The rest happened on it's own."

"It was enough on its own." Harry complimented. Remembering the article that Rita broke, in which the Aurors were forced to acknowledge the were assisted by a 'red clacked figure. The publicity had been convoluted and lovley.

Luna nodded, and looked at Professor Snape.

"Dumbledore is furious that the bogeywomen got into the dorms, somehow, and stole Draco, somehow. He's being owled constantly about the security, not only that we got in, but that Draco got in."

The group nodded. Snape continued. "Apparently, people have gotten so used to the idea of the bogeyman hunting Death Eaters, that now it's expected. Draco's presence is over half of the howlers."

He inclined his head a bit. "However, and this is a large however, The old families are suddenly very nervous about their children. What if they are kidnapped to leverage the family towards the light, or the dark. What if family of Death Eaters are used as hostages to force their Death Eater fathers out into the open. They were not at all expecting an attack against an under aged student. I've been repeating, over and over, that we have no proof or reasonable suspicions that you've attacked anyone without a mark."

"Are people believing that?"

"Somewhat. The one's who are closet to the Dark Lord are. The others are believing the Ministry about how the people they let off couldn't have been Death Eaters."

"And Himself?"

"I've not been summoned in a while. It's been quiet, from what I can tell. The last time I went in the full loses from Tonks' raid weren't yet known.

"Should we fail to kidnap you? Or harass you a bit? Only where it would be in the sight of other people with dark marks, of course..."

"I think managing to get red cloaks, and later fabric, sent to me with every potions ingredient would help me. I could be in total fear of contamination, and not willing to brew for my Lord without testing everything twice."

"Oooh.." "That could be fun and easy." "And verifiable, if we get the people bribed in the right way-" "so the people who are sent to check on it know that the employees know about it, but it's not done by them."

Hermione looked up from her notes. "I take it, Fred and George, you have volunteered?"

"Yes" "By this time a week from now, Snape will be able to report to both sides that his supplies are likely being messed with." "And the apothecary employees aren't doing it, but have been asked to step aside and allow it." "By a deadly lady in red."

Hermione nodded.

"By the way, the red fabric on the small children-" "The little human shields" "That worked wonders. The day the news about Draco broke, they were still moving in packs, but everyone else was staying far far away from any known or suspected Death Eaters." "Even poor Bagman was sitting by himself at a six person table in the Leaky."

It was reports like these that had led to Hermione forcing the twins to sit next to each other, rather then across from each other. No one needed to stain their necks.

"Ginny?"

"Madam Pomphrey has been teaching me, and some other DA members healing Monday and Wednesdays. She started as soon as I asked, even before we took it to any other Professor. She said it was a brilliant idea for the times."

Hermione nodded. "As for me, I've got the shadowing charms permanently attached to the red cloaks, and also moved the sticking charms about. They can't be removed by anyone but the wearer, or a password holder. Ginny, here's your note. Professor, you're our best healer.. ." Hermione slid two notes across the table. "I also added a mouse counter, to the arm, where a badge would go. Well, a mouse counter plus four to keep them guessing.

"I made two more, after mine. I thought we might invite Tonks to train with us, so our mystery Lady can be in two places at once."

Chaos broke out at the table.

Ron was startled. "Te don't have the supports staff for two Bogeywoman at once."

"She can't be trusted. She can't shake her tails." Snape's paranoia had been justified man times in hi life.

"She's too tall. And she'll trip over the cloak." Ginny added. "Somehow."

"Double the trouble can be more fun." Fred voted for.

"She did want to help, and this would add to the confusion." George nodded.

Harry looked confused. "I'm still back on the mouse counter. What's that?"

Hermione sighed, an showed them the cloak. "It shows a number in black." She showed off the top of the arm, on the sleeve she'd added with Harry's help. "We've got thirty five mice or beetles, and I added four to add to their confusion, so it's at 39."

"So every time we capture someone, it'll automatically adjust?"

"Yes."

"It's like an Ace's tally. Like Snoopy's."

"It's going to drive the Death Eaters and the Aurora insane trying to figure that out. Especially the extra four."

They all smirked at the confusion it would cause, until Neville thought of something. "Professor, can I ask... Would Tonks be under oath to the Order of the Phoenix?"

"No. The average member of the order of the Phoenix is not sworn in with any particular oath. Nor is an oath of loyalty required."

"And she would count as an average member?"

"Yes. She was an Auror before she was a Order member, thus she had already demonstrated commitment to fighting the dark."

"I assume that did not apply to you?"

He raised an eyebrow at Neville being brave enough to ask that question. "I swore an oath. It will not conflict with my duties with this group. You will not ask further, or think on it."

"Well, right then. Let's wait until we know Tonks if fully out from under the Ministry's thumb."

Luna raised her hand.

"Yes, Luna?"

"Would that be a particularly large variation of.. of a Flivvering Thumbmintser?"

"No. Luna, a metaphor." Hermione corrected.

"Oh, that's not as much fun." The blond's face fell.

"No, indeed, Miss Lovegood."

"So we wait."

"I'm still not sure we let her in. I don't know that we need a second Bogeywoman, and if we do, why not Ginny?" Ron said. "Not that I ever want Mum to know I volunteered her, but really, why add complications?"

"We'd have more support for a second if we let in Tonks."

Harry thought aloud. "We did originally plan on Hermione, Harry, Ron, Ginny, and the twins. With Neville, and Professor Snape, maintaining the line is harder. More people means we can split off and do side things, like confounding, but still, two completely separate missions... I don't want anyone getting hurt due to lack of support."

"What if we only use the two smaller teams for invisible missions, or menacing non-combatants? For raids, we go in full?"

Ron shook his head. "Even for a full raid, having a small team, likely headed by Harry or the Professor would be good. A second avenue of fire, from the side will flush people out and prevent runaways."

Harry slowly nodded. "We have gotten too big, haven't we?"

Hermione spoke up. "Harry, we did plan on using your fame. Using the symbol to distract people. With Neville as a Shielder and Ginny for Hexing help, you'd be a potent force that could _move_. As is, we're standing targets, and someone will notice that, and start thinking about it. It wouldn't do."

"As it is, we're lucky no bystander has put their memories in a pensieve and actually looked at where the spells are coming from."

Snape spoke up. "Pensieves aren't exactly common. I think the Aurors will be the ones to get that fact first. Once we actually fire shots around them."

"Which we want to avoid."

Hermione looked at her notes. "Reports are done. Plans?"

Ron nodded. "There's a bloke naked Gibbons on Snape's list. First name not known, but aged 44 to 46, based on the people he's claimed as school mates. We want to start stealing the complete unknowns, since we've got the known Death Eaters paranoid. We need to know his name, so we can look him up on the map."

Snape nodded. "He's one of the Death Eaters who always keeps his mask one. I know his last name, since He has used it, but mostly, he's not at all known."

Harry smiled. "I worry, sometimes that some actually useful portion of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, like Ms Bones used to be, has spies and we're planning on kidnapping them. Gibbons, who no one ever sees without his mask, would be the right style."

Luna smiled. "So why don't we ask?"

Everyone turned to look at her.

Hermione frowned. "Surly it can't be that simple..."

Luna nodded. "But it is. We know how to authenticate a message to them. They can authenticate a message back with Yaxley's hair. So why don't we write a letter to the DMLE and ask if any of them have undercover spies in the Death Eaters that we shouldn't disappear..."

Harry smiled. "Maybe it is that simple."

Hermione still looked a bit hocked at that, but she nodded. "Ok, my hand hearts from taking notes, time to train. If we train hard, Winky has promised special biscuits, still warm from the oven."

.o.o.o.

While every ate warm biscuits with gooey chocolate bits, Luna composed a note to the DMLE. Snape, somehow managing the impossible by looking aloof and dignified while nibbling fresh baked good, was looking over her shoulder and nixing excess language and tangents.

_DMLE_

_It would be useful for my planning purposed to know which, if any, of the members of the group known as Death Eaters report to you._

_Spies working against their Master for the public good will receive the benefit of the doubt. The benefit of the doubt does not mean full forgiveness, but will include opportunity for their spymaster to speak on their behalf._

_The Lead Hunter _

_currently being called _

_'Bogeywoman'_

"I see we are planting the threads for multiple Hunters?"

Luna shrugged. "I figured we might as well. It's like the prank letting three piglets into a school, labeled 1, 2, and 4. It drives people insane for a bit, because they're logical, and they for some reason think pranksters are as well. Even if we only ever have one hunter, because the DMLE thinks of her as the lead hunter, they will look for more. Given that most people don't know hot to look for things properly, they might even find more then there are."

"I've never had anyone try that in any classroom near me."

"Well, piglets are cute, and you eat bacon. You're scary, Sir."

Professor Snape, caught with half a chocolate biscuit in his mouth, didn't look particularly scary at that moment, but he nodded, and tried to think menacing thoughts around his handicap.

* * *

><p><p>

AN Vast apologies for the delay. I think the new movie distracted me more then I had planned for. I also just didn't get anything done at all. (I'm 10000 words behind for Camp NaNo. )

I have also come to realize that I will never understand the spelling of Apparition, apperate, and it's other conjugations. I'll keep trying, but the vowels are winning.


	15. Chapter 15: Exclamation

**Disclaimer: **Harry Potter, associated characters and setting belong to JK Rowling and whoever she shares the rights with, which does not include me. This is for entertainment purposes only, with no copyright infringement intended, or profit made.

**Chapter 15: Exclamation**

The next week was a quiet one. Harry and Hermione's friends dropped by and stayed in the workroom to watch the map expand. Neville claimed watching the wizarding population of England was like watching a drunken anthill. They moved all over, willy-nilly, with no regard for the shortest path possible. After all, if one forgot to buy bread when one got milk, it's only a floo away. This doesn't encourage any great organizational skill.

The map gave them a record for each day, since otherwise the chaos would be overwhelming. One might as well have just poured ink over the whole thing. Even Snape watched the map. He even discovered how to zoom in far enough that he could critique the St. Mungo's brewers on their wasted movements.

Luna claimed the map one day, to watch the reaction when her letter arrived at the DMLE. She said she wanted to know who all was consulted about it. Harry, however, suspected that she just liked knowing how much trouble she was causing. She did, however, make a list of all the Aurors consulted before the owl was sent back. She even noted their response time, Apparently, when a suspected mass murder and or Greek mythological vigilante spirit sends in a letter, you can get department heads to run in the halls of the Ministry.

The letter back was terse. It stated that there were no marked Death Eaters spying for the DMLE. It also started, tersely, that the DMLE was required to attempt to discourage any crimes it might hear of ahead of time. It asked if, instead of hunting, the Bogeywoman would consider turning over her intelligence to the professionals.

Luna authenticated the note, using an obscure identity spell on the hairs. Harry, however, was sure it was really them from the beginning. Their level of uselessness, and their confusion at wanting to root for the hunter, yet not being allowed to under the rules shinned through the letter.

.o.o.o.

Professor Snape starred at the letter in his hand. It had arrived at breakfast, and there was a note over the seal, asking for a prompt reply.

_Professor Snape_

_Would you be available to be off-site this evening for an hour, on personal business?_

_Mr. X. L. P. Winster_

Snape was rather sure he didn't know a X.L.P. Winster, but he was equally sure he had seen the name before.

He showed the letter to Minerva McGonagall, and asked if he could be excused from patrol after dinner, as he was curious. After listening to five minutes of advice to stay safe, and an added reminder that he really did need to socialize more, she let him out of his patrols, and offered get Professor Vector to cover his house while he was away.

It wasn't until he was walking out of the Great Hall, and heard Luna's giggling over the radio that he remembered where he'd read the name. It had been one of Luna's pseudonyms for a letter to the editor.

"Miss Lovegood, care to explain? Now."

"We're taking you off to visit with folks, on personal business. You'd be out of the castle, so we thought that we'd give you warning to find someone to cover your responsibilities here."

Snape though for a moment before he replied. He looked around, and checked for listing spells before asking quietly "Draco?"

"Yes, Sir. And he's not a mouse, nor injured. He's not eating well, so we though you could come lecture him on nutrition."

Snape sighed. "I was worried when you slightly improved dunderheads didn't say anything. I'd be glad to come lecture him on nutrition."

"That will make Winky happy. She worries about him."

"As do I. And I was about to start thinking you'd moused him."

"Um, well.. right, your appointment will be in the mousery at 7 pm, Sir. But he's not a mouse, Professor, we promised you that.."

"Thank you, Miss Lovegood."

.o.o.o.

Severus Snape walked down the hill the hill toward the Hogsmead gates, and disapperated promptly at 6:59 pm. He'd nodded to professor McGonagall, and Hagrid had walked down to close the gates for him, so he could head out immediately upon hitting the edge of the wards.

He appeared, also at 6:59, in a cramped basement that smelled of rodent and was filled with distinctive Lovegood giggling.

Snape looked around.

"Miss Lovegood, the mousery seems to have developed another door."

"Yes, sir. We weren't using the root cellars or wine cellars before. Now we are, so we created the door."

"Why wasn't the door there before? Surely the residents needed access?"

"Professor, it wasn't there because the elves just pop down for onions or carrots, so why have a door. The House of Black would never be without magical servants. The wine cellars, also, didn't have a door, since it kept under aged children away from the good brandy. Or, at least, that's what Winky said."

"And we're using that area now?"

"Yes, come along an see, since you've already guessed who we're storing in there."

Snapped followed Luna, and Harry, through the door. On each side there were three meter by three meter arched alcoves separated by solid walls. "There used to be a separate vegetable in each alcove. We just moved out the bad veggies, and added the bars and magic suppression."

"And we're rather thankful that the Hogwarts library had a do-it-yourself plumbing book." Harry added.

Snape stopped when he got to the only occupied cell. It was twelve feet by twelve feet, just like the others, although this one had 'roasting potatoes' carved above the arch. There was a solid but small bed, obviously bolted to the wall, with a lump curled up in the middle under a drab brown blanket. On the other side, there was desk-height table attached to the wall with a bench bolted the cell floor Beyond the table, Snape could see a muggle shower curtain, somewhat translucent, with bright yellow duckies.

"Duckies?"

"It's his bath area. We wanted to give him some privacy, but still know that he wasn't up to anything. It's a compromise."

"I wasn't arguing with the translucent curtain, but duckies?"

"It was on sale, Sir."

"Right."

Harry started explaining the cell to Snape. "He has all his school books, charmed to prevent damage, with a self inking quill. Winky provides parchment. His teacup, there, refills on command with a finger tap. Winky provides three meals a day, and two apples for snacks."

The lump moved.

Snape nodded. "You've done well to make it habitable. And given the other options, thank you."

With that, Draco's head finally emerged from the blankets, and snapped towards Snape. " Uncle Severus, you didn't just thank them for attacking, kidnapping, and sticking me in this prison."

"I did. You could be in worse places. You could be dead, or being tortured by the Dark Lord. You could be in the other room. This is the nicest prison cell I've ever seen."

"But..." Draco's voice was still uncharacteristically sharp.

"I did ask them to treat you better then the average Death Eater, since you're underage, and your participation could have been forced. And what happens, but that you don't eat, and they're forced to ask me to come talk to you. You're worrying the house elf, by the way."

"The house elf keeps muttering about bad boys who need love and fruit to make them better."

Harry laughed. "She watched Barty Crouch Jr go bad, she might know what she's talking about."

Draco looked over at Harry and Luna, where they were leaning against the far set of bars. "What are you two doing here. What are any of you doing here. And... " Draco's voice trailed off. He kept looking between the students and professor.

"We're here because we brought Professor Snape here. Well, Luna did. I'm here as Luna's backup because we don't visit the Death Eater cells on our own. It's a rule."

"And I'm here because they want you to eat. Because otherwise, Winky will complain about you to all of us, all the time."

Harry rubbed his temples away from his scar. "We don't have any problems with the other Death Eaters not eating. In fact, Avery looked a little chubby when I walked past."

Luna smiled over at him. "He could just be growing in his winter coat. And I think their instincts keep them eating, in that form."

Snape looked at a confused Draco. "Eat, study, keep yourself sane. Talk to Winky when she comes by. Write me letters. Just remember, this is the cell for those who've earned good treatment. Don't screw it up."

"If Avery is growing a winter coat... Is my father-" Draco took a breath "Is my father...?"

Harry and Luna looked at each other, and laughed. Harry, once he's recovered, looked at Draco. "Malfoy Sr. is a little patchy on the fur front, but he's ok. Last I saw he was nibbling on his toilet paper tube."

Draco winced.

"We talk to him on occasion. He's sane. He's just dealing with strong instincts, and teeth that keep growing."

"Can I talk to him?"

"No. Eat, read, write letters. Spend a week proving you're not going to be a pain. Then maybe."

Draco nodded.

"By the way, you were the only one in the school with the mark. We checked every damn arm."

"I... I can't see parent's liking that."

"The parents are actually about as upset that you got in with a dark mark as they are that the Bogeywoman got in."

"The bogeywoman got in... But you said you checked..."

"Goodbye, Draco. We'll send you your homework assignments with Winky. You won't be able to turn them in, but you can keep up."

"And, Draco, you will try to keep up."

"Yes, Uncle Severus. Will you visit?"

"Once a week, if I can."

"Without the Gryffindors?"

"Not until they trust you. They're not only backup for each other. They're also my back up."

"But why would I hurt you, you're on our side..."

Harry laughed, again. "If he were on your side, why would we let him in here?"

Draco's eyes widened as he looked at his godfather. "You're a traitor... a spy!"

Snape kept his voice even. "Yes. Since 1980."

"But... but. Why- How?"

"That's a long story, Draco."

"One he won't tell us." Harry muttered.

Draco spoke softly. "My whole life, you've been lying."

"Only about some topics. About most things, I'm as honest as I can be."

"I'll eat, Leave, please."

Snape nodded, and turned to the others. As they walked walked away, they heard a shout. "Wait, Wait, Professor Snape."

Professor Snape turned around to talk to him.

Draco was still sitting on the edge of his bed, looking rumpled and broken. "My mother?"

"Your mother had gone into a year of mourning. She has locked up the Manor, and refuses to leave it. I suspect she knows at least one of you is alive, since the Goblins are not reading wills nor closing out vaults, but she's decided full isolation, with family-only wards, is to her benefit. Bellatrix was saddened to learn she is not admitted by Malfoy family wards."

"So she's safe for a year."

"Technically she could claim a year of mourning for each of you."

"And the Dark Lord will respect that?"

"He'd be a fool to brake traditions and brake in for anything less then a complete win. Messing with the mourning widow of one of his followers would only loose him support."

Draco nodded slowly.

Professor Snape once again turned, and swept away, robe billowing behind him.

.o.o.o.

When the trio got back to the mousery, the mouse Malfoy was making an utter racket, upsetting his food bowl, and flinging his cardboard tube at the wire cage repeatedly.

"I think he's got good hearing." Harry suggested.

Luna leaned down to talk to him. "Draco's safe. He's not a mouse. He's got books, and ink, and parchment. He's got three meals a day, and two snacks. He's even got a refilling teacup. What he needs is time to adjust. We're going to give him that time before you talk to him."

Snape, looking at the panicking mouse. "I told them they couldn't make him a mouse. But, remember, Lucius, he has the Dark Mark. He's a valid military target. Be glad we're locking him away and letting him do his homework."

The mouse stopped breathing so fast.

Luna nodded at him sympathetically. "We told him he couldn't talk to you until he spent a whole week being a good boy, eating all his food, and keeping entertained. So no more mousey tantrums. You've mixed your kibble up in your bedding, and you're going to have to wait until Winky has time to clean it all. Think on that before you attack your food bowl next time, Mr. Malfoy."

As much as he might have tried, mice just can't produce evil glares.

.o.o.o.

Gibbons was found in the Hogwarts records. Slytherin, class of 1969, there was a Wendel Gibbons. That would put him in the right place and time to have made his school friends, as well as in prime Death Eater recruiting periods.

A covert search of public records and basic gossip performed by Snape brought up more information. He was an unmarried half-blood whose father was from a good family, but had not married his mother, leading to a lot of teasing while he'd been at school. He'd been a quiet student with above average OWLs and NEWTs. He worked for the Nimbus corporation, listed as a Quality Control Agent.

Given a full name, a working location, and Harry's map, their research was relatively easy. Harry copied over his movements for the past week from the records. Other then locating the Nimbus Factory, which Ron and Harry vowed to tour some summer, they learned relatively little. Mr. Gibbons was boring. He went to work, and came home. He disappeared off the map on the Thursday night at nine pm for an hour. Harry speculated he must have visited someone with wards better then his own, likely a Death Eater.

They tagged his dot with the Death Eater skull, and left a note by the map saying who it was, and to sound the alert if he was ever in public.

Luna, Neville and Ron all agreed he was boring, after spending time watching his unmoving dot.

Flitwick dropped by the workroom unannounced one afternoon, when they both had free periods. Luckily, Harry and Hermione had been working on inventing another object. They make a flashlight, with a switch, to be used by children and others. Harry explained that he hated using his wand for a Lumos spell in unknown territory, as one had to cast nox before you could try to get a shield up. They gave a lumos-light to Flitwick to give to Filch, knowing it was worth it to keep on (or get on) the caretaker's good side and keep the Charms Master enthusiastic.

Unfortunately, since they'd been surprised by him when he came in, they hadn't been able to hide the map from Flitwick when he came in. They'd thought they had managed to keep him distracted and looking the other way, until he squeaked, and turned fully towards the map. "Oh, I say. Your Death Eater is out and about... in Hyde Park."

Harry ran over to the map to look, while Hermione looked apologetically at Flitwick. "Professor, it would be very useful if you could step out into the hall for the moment."

"I understand. So long as you will show me that map in depth, contact who you need to contact."

As Flitwick went into the hall, Harry was readying his radio. As the door shut and Hermione hit it with a privacy spell, he was talking over the radio. "All call, all call. Gibbons, Hyde Park, Marble Arch corner. He doesn't seem to be moving. He's talking to a dot.. named Lupin. Damn. Repeat. All call, all call, Gibbons, Hyde Park. Marble Arch. We're pinned down talking to Flitwick. Go without us."

Harry nodded at Hermione, and she opened the door. "Professor. We've... we've alerted people. Thank you, for spotting that on the map."

"You're welcome. I was going to ask about the map, but when I saw that note, well, I do know that you students are involved in things. And watching a map and sending an alert if someone is out of wards, well, that's something I don't feel I have to report."

"Thank you, Sir. I guess... I guess you can understand our interest in WWN radios, if you've seen the muggle radio technology?"

"I haven't seen the muggle's uses for it, unfortunately."

"They... well, we can't show you in the castle. Hrm... They have radios that allow one person to talk to only those others who are on the same frequency... "

"Frequency?"

"Ummm.. Harry, could you grab me a physics's book? Here..."

Hermione continued to explain, using muggle science books, what their radios were doing, but not how. When he squeaked excitedly at the science for the fifth time, she pointed out the took she was using was for a fourteen year old audience. There were much more in depth books available. The Ravenclaw Head of house started browsing their bookshelves, with an eye to add to his library. Hermione surprised the little man by offering him a muggle pen to copy down titles.

Harry, however, was hovering over the map, which he'd folded and had in his hand, where it was out of view. He was listening along and watching, all the while hoping that the team would be able to get along without either him or Hermione, and deal with the added complication of Lupin being in the way.

Gibbons and Lupin were far enough into the park that they had a nice, open area around them. Harry didn't see any immediate threats around them, but Lupin was definitely talking to a Death Eater, which was concerning. Also, Harry was worried, because the map didn't tell him anything about either of their conditions. For all he knew, based on the map, Gibbons could be holding Remus at wand or knife point in the middle of a crowd of muggles. All Harry could do, short of confounding Professor Flitwick, was wait, watch and listen.

"Okay, we're meeting where?"

"Marble Arch Tube?"

"Because invisible people in a crowded tube station is a good idea."

"Right. Umm, Harry, got coordinates for trees or some such?"

Harry cast a privacy charm, then promptly stuck his head out of it. "Hermione, can you convert map to apparition coordinates for them?"

"Harry, you made them use the same coordinate system when you made the map. Just tap and ask for coordinate cross-hairs. Pick a tree or something, it works better then blank map."

"Right, thanks." Harry pulled his head back inside his bubble. "Here you go guys. It's a cluster of trees due north of where they're talking. Center of the cluster... " Harry gave them the coordinates. "Hopefully that means no Muggles will see you, but if you drop in on top of a snogging couple, I'm sorry."

Snape spoke. "We can confound snogging teenaged muggles. Ginny's wearing red, and centered. Everyone have their spot in the line?"

"Yup. From the left, Snape, Fred, Ginny, George, Neville, Ron."

"Lets move Neville to Snape's side. The Professor's gotten better at not tripping over people, and there's no need to bunch up the shielders."

"So, Nev, Snape, Fred, Gin, George, Ron?"

Ron spoke up. "That way, if needed, Snape and Neville can be mobile. Snape is a natural hexer, and Nev's shields are rock solid."

"Ok, twins are a go?"

"Twins are a go. Apperate."

Harry sighed. He hated being left behind.

.o.o.o.

There were snogging teens in the cluster of trees. Snape confounded them, and suggested homework as a replacement activity.

They had shrieked when the Hunter had popped in, so Snape sent them out shrieking and playing tag. It wasn't a good cover for the apparition pops, but it was better then unexpected screams that shut off abruptly. That's the sort of the thing that war hardened wizards pay attention to.

"Harry, they still there?"

"Still there, still stationary." Harry was watching the map like a hawk. He looked up to see Hermione wringing her hands, and Flitwick looking intrigued every time he talked. Harry pulled up his trouser leg to show the lump in his sock... his shrunken radio. Flitwick nodded.

"Ok, we're moving. It's a good thing the weathers bad. There's a few joggers on the paths, but it's mostly empty. We can see them."

"Remus ok?"

"Looks like a discussion. No wands visible, but we're in muggle territory. They may be up sleeves."

Neville weighed in. "It looks like a neutral discussion at least. There's no smirks or sneers, not that Professor Lupin sneers a lot."

"If they're having a friendly discussion, Lupin might be a difficulty. Potter, how are we handling incidental exposure to your pet wolf." Snape's voice wasn't sounding pleased, but since he was giving Harry the option of how to play it, Harry decided the animosity wasn't aimed at him.

"Distract him, turn him around, get him to leave. Hopefully, we don't get exposed. However, if it means exposing the secret... If he fights back, anything up to stunning him is ok. I... I don't know if we can turn a werewolf into a mouse. But if he's getting in the way, feel free to stick him a in spare cage. We can have Tonks retrieve him."

"Potter... Harry, You just made my day."

"If it's necessary..."

"Harry, we'll try to get Moony out of the way, but he's in close."

"Ok, we're in position. Weasleys, the elder, distractions, and confusion to the muggles."

"Mooney might just recognize the pranks and run, you never know. "

"Muggle safe fireworks at the other edge of the field in six... Five.."

Harry thought about it. Remus's dignity wasn't worth his friend risking themselves against a prepared Death Eater.

"Take advantage, guys. Just stun them both while they're surprised by the fireworks."

"Four. Three."

"Sure, Harry?"

"Yes."

"Two. One."

Boom. Crackle, Hiss.

"Stunners."

Boom. Crackle, Hiss.

"Got them."

Boom. Crackle, Boom.

"George, get Gibbons, Nev, Snape, Remus."

Professor Snape spoke. "I'm taking Lupin side-along. Get to safety."

Ron's voice was strong. "He's away. Scatter!"

Harry watched them all disappear of the map.

He unfolded another section, to watch them show up in the shrieking shack. However, he kept the corner of Hyde's park open. He watched for twenty minutes, but there wasn't any other magical activity.

"Good job guys. That didn't register enough to get anyone out from the ministry. The muggles will be confused about the fireworks, but that won't make waves in the magical world."

Snape came on over the radio. "Your wolf is in the cell across from Draco. That should confuse him enough to keep quiet. Plus, Draco could use the company."

Harry put the map in his pocket, and canceled his privacy bubble.

"We're ok, Hermione, stop worrying."

"I was listening, but still."

They both looked at Flitwick, who was watching them both with curious eyes.

"Yes, it's a complication. But he'd be a great addition."

"True. He won't be happy."

"Well, we know who to send to talk to him."

"I'm not sure that's fair. "

"Why not?"

"Sending her down there... with the others."

"Ah... Perhaps a side along straight into the hall? Although seeing the first room might be cathartic."

Flitwick raised an eyebrow.

Both Harry and Hermione looked at him.

"Toast" was all Hermione said.

Harry understood. They'd talk about it at the 'Monday' meeting over toast.

As Harry and Hermione started packing up in silence to go to dinner, Flitwick raised his other eyebrow. Harry took the time to explain to Flitwick that they'd appreciated his silence on the topic of their discoveries, especially the radio. When he argued that they were great inventions for the good of wizarding kind, Harry added a clause that they would appreciate silence until the end of the Voldemort threat. Once Flitwick was finished squeaking at the name, he nodded, and agreed to silence until the defeat of the Death Eaters and their Master.

Now Harry just had to explain to retired Auror Tonks they they'd 'accidentally' kidnapped her boyfriend, and that they were keeping him in a cell across the hall from a death eater. And then ask her help in getting him to swear an oath of silence.

AN Long Chapter. I think I'm trending longer as I figure out what I'm doing. Thanks for reading my Newb-ish story, and double thanks for the reviews.

**Cm**, Thanks for the review, and especially for the critique. I'll work on Snape's surly-ness.


	16. Chapter 16: Detention

**Disclaimer: **Harry Potter, associated characters and setting belong to JK Rowling and whoever she shares the rights with, which does not include me. This is for entertainment purposes only, with no copyright infringement intended, or profit made.

**Chapter 16: Detention**

"You did what! Why?" Tonks's voice was shrill, hitting notes Harry hadn't experienced since his Aunt Petunia was dive bombed by Hogwarts letters.

"I didn't... Tonks, it was a raid. Pick a Death Eater, watch them. Pick them off when you can. And we found this one standing almost alone in a muggle park. It was rainy, and Snape cheerfully got rid of the snogging teens while Fred and George distracted witnesses. However, our suspect was in a close, friendly conversation with someone. What were we supposed to do? Risk Remus being trigger happy? Risk giving the Death Eater warning that they were about to attack?"

"But..."

"Safety first, before Remus's dignity." Harry sighed. "But since we didn't leave him unconscious in a muggle park, we brought him to the safe-house."

"He's where?"

"He's... Well, we're keeping him restrained until we can tell him stuff. Since he wasn't too happy with you not telling, we're hoping for an Oath of Silence."

Tonks crossed her arms. "You knocked Remus out, and now you're keeping him in a cage until he swears an oath?"

"Well, Snape actually stunned him..." Harry was looking at the ground, and trying to prevent himself from smoothing his fringe down over his eyes, to hide further.

"You're not helping yourself, Harry."

"Umm. Right." Harry took a deep breath and found some resolve. "However, you yelling also isn't helping. We're keeping our secret, because it's a matter of our safety. We _need_ to know that Death Eaters won't know how to exploit our weaknesses. And Remus reports to the order, and the Order shares far too much information with the DMLE, which is riddled with spies. We need that oath. It's your choice to help or not."

"Harry, he's basically your Godfather."

"And Ron, Ginny, Fred and George are practically my siblings. Should I sacrifice them for Remus's peace of mind?"

"I..." Tonks stopped. "You''re serious."

"Our secrets don't leave our group. And since you're fighting us, we'd like an oath from you."

"Harry." Tonks looked shocked. Harry drew his wand on her.

Harry stood still, wand pointing, and gave Tonks a look that spoke of steel and determination. "You said you'd help us. Help us keep our secret."

"Fine."

.o.o.o.

Draco was reading aloud his transfiguration book, to his old professor Remus. He seemed to pause at the end of every paragraph and ask questions.

"This would be so much easier if I could just try it."

"Well, if you weren't in here... Anyway, theory is good for you. Learning all the theory will help. You'll be amazed, when you get your wand back, how quickly you manage these spells, since you've really gone over all the theory."

"If I ever get my wand back."

"I'm sure, when this all is over, they'll be fair."

"Says the man who was thrown in a cage my his own side."

"Yes... well..."

"Wotcher! Remus, we're here to work on that."

"Tonks, dear... " Remus looked surprised. "You're involved in this?"

"A few explanations, I think?" Harry said. He winced when Remus went from staring at Tonks in surprise to looking at Harry in utter shock.

"Welcome to the cells of the Bogeywomen slash Hunter Team. These are not the cells for people we dislike. These are the cells for people who we think are valuable."

"You never did explain your link to her, Potter, did you?" Draco's voice came from behind Tonks, and startled her. "And how am I valuable?"

"You being happy keeps Snape happy. Or rather, Snape would have been even more grumpy then usual if we'd have done to you what we do to the average Death Eater."

"Ah. and what is that. Winter fur..."

"The... nevermind. no reason to answer, and a good reason not to means no information for the Mini Malfoy."

"Fine. I'll just listen in on your family squabble"

"Fine. And do your homework."

"I can't believe you were mean enough to pass along the assignment of '30 minutes practice on human hands to cat paws...' How am I supposed to even try?"

"Umm. I'll forward your complaint to the homework committee. But it's Hermione, she likes complete lists."

"Fine. The Know-it-all will continue to taunt me. Where is she, anyway?"

"I think she's off menacing your god-father's ingredient suppliers as we speak, actually."

Tonks joined in the conversation, trying to take it back from the boy's light verbal sparing. "She's out being little red?"

"Yes."

"But I though we like Snape."

"He's on our team. However, it's not believable to anyone that we wouldn't menace him. And driving him slowly insane by making sure everyone knows we've been mucking about in his ingredients plays that part, and lets him out of having to brew for other people. He was positively giddy with the sudden amount of spare time he had once it got out to both his masters that he was being stalked and his ingredients were iffy."

"Well, isn't that nice for him."

"Harry, Tonks, someone, explain?" Remus was tired of being patient. The bed in his cell was not that comfy.

"Oh, right. Um, so the guy you were talking to in the park yesterday..."

"Gibbons, yes, I was talking to him about getting a job packing brooms."

"Umm, well, odd spot for an interview. Anyway, he's a marked Death Eater, and that was the first time he'd been out of wards in a week..."

"And I was in the wrong spot..."

"Yes, you were. Anyway, Gibbons got Hunted. And now, unfortunately, you know things."

"Ah, hence the cage."

"Yes. well, and I told Snape we weren't to leave you unconscious in a park. You'd wake up in a muggle hospital all confused, and... well, we need to talk."

"As your girlfriend, can I just say that I did yell at Harry before we got down here about the whole cage thing."

"Thanks, Dear." Remus smiled at Tonks.

She shifted her hair from pink to bright purple for a second, before she continued. "However, since they know you were so upset with me for not telling things when I knew them, you are now a security risk. Sorry."

"Dammit. Why, risk of what?"

"Umm... What do you remember from the park?"

"I saw fireworks. I turned, and then back behind me, I saw a... I saw a red cloak.. and then I was stunned."

"That's about right. They didn't want to give you a chance to realize you were under attack or get a shield up in muggle area. And Remus, we weren't sure why you were talking to him. If you didn't know he was a Death Eater, we assumed you would defend him out of instinct if he was attacked while you were there."

"And you're sure he's a Death Eater?"

"Yup. He's being asked questions in the other room. Well he was, before that team went on to mucking with Snape's supplies."

"And he was marked?"

"Branded, yes, and called by name by Voldemort at meetings. That's how he first got on he list."

"He could be a spy... for the Aurors or someone."

"We asked. They didn't choose to reveal any spies to us, even at the risk of hem being taken by the bogeywomen."

"Harry, who's the bogeywomen?"

"Hermione."

"WHAT? !" Draco's shout came from behind Harry, and surprised him.

"Hermione took Avery, MacNair, and Malfoy? How?" Remus was surprised.

"Hermione got MY FATHER?"

Harry was rubbing his temples again.

.o.o.o.

Lupin knew the only way out of the cell was an oath of silence. He, eventually, took the oath. Harry even offered to ask Snape to come by, so Remus could have company swearing and curing Harry's existence.

"What were you doing in that field with a death Eater, anyway." Harry asked. "Since we're telling the whole truth about things."

"That field is a nice, public park, like where one would go to meet a potential enemy, not a job interview site..." Tonks added, looking hard at Remus.

"I'd already done the interview. Their packing and shipping department is mostly squibs. I can use a wand, therefore they wanted me. And Gibbons got me in as a part timer, with a very flexible schedule. He knew, I wanted to know how he knew."

"Could he have been recruiting for the Dark lord. Offering werewolves good jobs that are wizarding approved would be a huge step up for most lycanthropes, and would get their loyalty, at least for the length of the recruiting spiel."

"He could have been. I... I had no idea he was marked."

"And if there had been stunners from no where, would you have defended him?"

"Most likely."

'"What if it had visibly been the bogeywomen. Would you have been willing to assume that he was a valid target based solely on the fact that she was attacking him?"

Harry was genuinely curious on this front. How strong was the public's perception of their quest. Would people stand aide and let them take their prey?"

" I... No, but, he was helping... Ok.. I see what you mean. I'll calm down and stop being so peeved with you lot. There was no good way to take that situation."

"No, no there wasn't. And since you saw the bogeywomen shooting stunners.."

There was an interrupting cough, and Tonks looked pointedly at Draco.

Harry smirked. "He's OK to be in the know. All the Death Eaters in the other cages know, and let me tell you, when we pull them up to check their health and make sure they're sane, they're not at all happy at being outsmarted. Besides, Draco knows his life expectancy, on all fronts, is longer on the inside of his bars then out with the Dark lord. If Voldie doesn't kill him, we'll have to."

"I though the whole mouse thing was to prevent killing people."

"The mouse thing was to instill terror and have a weapon that wasn't reversed by a simple enervate spell. Have we shown you our dead beetles in jars, Tonks?"

"No. "

"They're from your raid. You got them, before we got there."

"Oh."

"Yeah. So we have mice in the Mousery, and beetles on the Beetle Shelf. Ron want to call the nice cells down here the Ferret House."

"Hey!"

"Named after our first prisoner to rate it, of course."

"And what did he do to deserve such good accommodations?"

"He's the carrot we're using on Professor Snape."

"Ah, and the stick?"

"Um, that we lose, get caught, and take him down with us? Either to Dumbledore, should we be informed on, or we just fail and he ends up spending his life being a boot licking Death Eater."

"Neither good."

"We're working on him. I think he admires our sneakiness, while deploring our charging tactics. Also, Chocolate Biscuits work as a stopgap measure. Toast does not."

Tonks looked lost.

.o.o.o.

Luna once again published a photo, via the Quibbler. It was Gibbons, in his Nimbus employee robes, with his arm showing, and the Dark Mark centered. She even sent a copy to the Prophet, but she made sure it would get there twenty minute too late for their publishing deadline.

The Quibbler article was about hidden Death Eaters, and those who employ them. It even asked if Nimbus employed any other Death Eaters. Mr. Lovegod had gone through the effort of getting a statement from a company executive, saying they did not employ Death Eaters. The Quibbler finished he piece by asking "But how can they know that they don't employ death eaters. Have the checked the rest of their staff for marks or glamors? And before you mock them for the picture of the latest Bogeywoman victim wearing their corporate robes, think about this... Hove you checked your employees? Has the Ministry?"

Harry read the article in the Great Hall, and joined the general applause when Luna entered the room. If people picked up on that advise, it would help the long term goal of preventing Voldemort from recruiting. No one would join an organization that made them get a bad tattoo that would prohibit them from holding a job. And if it was only the Order versus the existing Death Eaters, well, they'd be winning eventually.

.o.o.o.

The next 'mondey' was on a Saturday afternoon, when the boys wanted nothing more then to be out on their broom enjoying the first warm spell of the spring.

"So, are we going to talk Remus into helping us?"

"Remus is confused as all Hell."

"Language, potter. Five points from Gryffindor."

"Can you do that in a secret meeting? Won't someone notice that you were near me to take points?"

"Your Head of House will be glad I only took five. And watch yourself."

"Yes, Sir. Although, I still think you'd be less cranky since I let you stun Remus."

"The Dark Lord is angry. My arm is twitchy. You haven't killed him yet. I reserve the right to take of points for reasonable things,"

"Right. Um. Remus is confused. His oath will hold, but if we press him, he'll go to Dumbledore, who will figure out that he's been sworn to silence on something."

"I don't want to force anyone into fighting. We rely far too heavily on each other when we're out to have a reluctant party out there. It's like taking Luna out. We know from practice that she's worse then leaving her behind. It's not that she doesn't add anything, she just complicates too much."

Hermione nodded. "So we have him out there, and knowing, and we just leave him be?"

Ron nodded. "We ward him out of the basement, so he can only get in with two of us. We tell Tonks that, so she doesn't try to bring him down for a snog. We're secure. We leave it. Don't pick at scabs. Don't tickle dragons."

Hermione made a face. "Scabs, really? That's pleasant, Ron."

"It's metaphoric."

It's gross."

"Saint's preserve my Sanity. Do we have anything to talk about?" Snape was rubbing his temples, and possible growling.

"We're picking a new target, and we're talking about Tonks getting her own red cloak, as well as Ginny getting more training in one."

"The Carrows." Snape's tone was not to be argued with.

Hermione pulled out a file from a file folder far too small to have held it. "The Carrows, brother and sister, never jailed. Should we still be going after the secret ones, or should we be watching on order of likeliness to re-offend?"

"All of them are Death Eaters. They are all likely to re-offend. Their Lord thinks torture is a fun way to get attention."

"But..."

"Muggle bridges. Muggles verses dementors, which they can't even see."

"Right. We'll watch for the Carrows. Are they on the map, Harry."

"Searching. We need to add a search feature."

Neville was looking over Harry's shoulder. "What do we know about them? Where do they live?"

"I'll do that search, again."

"You'd think the Magical world could think of a simple phone book, or a who's who."

"A floo book, you mean? We're not a logical society, Hermione. Muggle logic doesn't help you find your keys when they can be in a shrunken box hidden by a kneazel. Accio does."

"Ur, right."

"So, search spell on the map." Harry wrote down in his notes.

"Highlighting spell, to light up the word Carrow? Possible?" Neville thought aloud.

"That might work. Ask a Ravenclaw." Snape stereotyped.

"We can ask Professor Flitwick."

"How much does he know, by the way."

"He thinks we're working with adults."

Snape growled. "So what happens when he compliments Dumbledore on his new radio system, or the map."

"Harry, Hermione, I can't believe you're coming down so hard on Remus while telling things randomly to Flitwick..."

Harry and Hermione looked at each other, then at the group.

Harry looked sheepish. "Um. We could recruit him?"

Hermione shook her head. "He was so proud of us for finding a SAFE way to participate. I don't think he'll like the truth."

"We could send Tonks to thank him for his silence?"

"Ahhh, sic another adult n him. But thanking him for not telling Dumbledore will just get him curious."

"We could claim we're using cell structure, like Muggle resistance, so no one can give up to many people if questioned."

"But Dumbledore would know..."

Harry once again interrupted his Professor. "Let's do that. Have Tonks come and ask him for silence. We can apologize for putting him in that position, and say we should have left him in the hall longer."

"Potter, if you insist on talking over me... you can talk all this evening."

Harry winced. "Detention?"

"Tutoring remedial first years."

"Worse." Harry's reaction was quiet and under his breath, but not quiet enough.

"You could have both."

"Sorry sir."

"Seven Fifteen. Every P or T essay from that group means you do it again."

Hermione waited a moment, to make sure Snape and Harry were done, and hopefully wait until Snape was done handing out punishments.

"Speaking of Tonks... We can get her out here to talk to Professor Flitwick, hat's not a problem. I still think, and I think it's even clearer after this last mission, that we need another trained Bogeywoman. Either I want to talk you around to training Tonks, or training up Ginny."

"Hermione, are you going to bring this up every time until we agree?" Harry looked at her, emotions mixed on his face.

"Yes Harry. " she sighed. "I think all of out plans are currently too dependent on one person, me. And I want to know that whatever happens, this keeps on going, and keeps on working. We're doing good work, and it's having a great effect, but if we stop suddenly, it can all be lost." Hermione looked around the table.

"What if Ron crashes into the stands next Quidditch match, and breaks both may arms. Do you all keep going, and keep up or death eater of the week schedule? You could, but I'd feel better about it if we had back up."

"Hermione, Madam Pomfrey could fix that in an instant..."

"Ron, she was being polite, and giving an example that doesn't make me want to cry..." Ginny corrected her brother.

Harry looked at Hermione, then at Ginny. "Ginny, would you prefer to be the Primary backup, or should we call on Tonks's Auror experience to help combat the forces of evil?"

"I thinking I'm OK with helping out as a second person when we're trying to confuse people, but as a backup... I wasn't really comfortable on that last mission. Let's ask Tonks."

Harry looked around the whole table, meeting everyone's eyes. "Anyone want to voice an objection?"

They stayed silent.. Hermione voicing her fears made other worries, like a clumsy Tonks finding a way to trip over a knee length cloak, seem silly.

Harry nodded. "Right then, we're agreed. Let's train and eat biscuits, so I can study up on potions before dinner."

.o.o.o.

Tonks put the red cloak on, and looked in the mirror. Her face, hands and legs were covered in unnatural shadows. The cloak itself was bright red, unnaturally bright, with it's artistic tears and stains highlighted. Her arm showed the same style of counter as Hermione's robe. Tonks, told to pick a number between one and 13, had picked 8. Her counter would start from the random number, and work its way up as she got more experience.

They'd debated on keeping the two looking exactly the same, but they wanted their team to be able to tell the difference if they were to run into each other during a mission, or even just during training in the Chamber. It wouldn't do for Remus to try to kiss the wrong little red ridding hood.

Tonks twisted and turned. Hermione stood behind her, looking at the reflection. "It won't come off unless they have the password. Our healers have it. I'll give it to Remus. We decided that will help us keep our identity secret. Even an unconscious Hunter in St. Mungo's... they could heal, since diagnostics can get through the shield clock, and they could do rough healing, but it's bad idea. Still, I think keeping the hood stuck down when facing, say the Lestranges is more important. Just... try not to get injured and left behind."

"Right. Also, this is Wicked. And it's already all tattered and stained..."

"Luna dud that. She wore it out while visiting the thestrals, and feeding them."

"That would explain the blood splatter."

Hermione smiled at Tonks, and offered her a chocolate biscuit. "Welcome to the team."

AN I'm sorry. This looks like a chapter, and quacks like a chapter, but as much as I try, i'm not sure of it. **Sigh**

Thanks for reading.


	17. Chapter 17: Multiplication

**Disclaimer: **Harry Potter, associated characters and setting belong to JK Rowling and whoever she shares the rights with, which does not include me. This is for entertainment purposes only, with no copyright infringement intended, or profit made.

**Chapter 17: Multiplication**

Harry met Tonks at the Shrieking shack, and told her to ask Remus for an suggestions on the interior decorating, if she liked it. Then he opened the door, and listened to her gasp.

"I'll just say that the reports of it being haunted are vastly over rated. Also, I'm disappointed that the residents of Hogsmead never figured out that the Haunting activity tended to fall on the full moon. But, then, anyone who willingly lives where there are regular invasions of us pesky teenagers might need a sanity infusion."

"I... he... Oh, Remus. I'll lead him around to those stories. He hates talking about when he's not in control, through."

"Get him to talk about my dad, and Sirius, and ask why they were called Padfoot and Prongs."

"They... ?" Tonks thought for a moment, then asked "What's a prongs?"

"That's me to know, and you to ask Remus. Make him remember the good old days. Now, you need a disillusionment cloak, and we need to check our map to make sure there are no pesky teachers about."

.o.o.o.

"As you can see, we have a newcomer this meeting. Pass her some toast"

Tonks took a piece of toast off the tray, then stopped to think and asked "Why do I have toast?"

The teens around the table all giggled (or chuckled in a manly fashion), but shook their heads. They all took toast as the tray went around.

Tonks leaned over to Professor Snape, and asked again. "Why the toast?"

"Why anything? There is toast during reports, then we train, then there are chocolate biscuits and socialization. Why, they won't tell me."

"Oh, So what do I do with my toast?"

"You eat it of course." Luna explained, while looking at Tonks like she doubted her sanity.

.o.o.o.o.

Luna took an afternoon to decorate the mousery shelves with fairy lights. When asked why, she said it was because they're pretty, and because it made the Death Eaters doubt their sanity and time perception. She said this in front of the Death Eaters, much to their annoyance and mousey confusion. She explained the same thing to Draco, who looked on in resigned silence as the hall was decorated, complete with a festive "Welcome to Ferret Hall" sign in red and green.

.o.o.o.

Tonks and Remus were getting ready for bed after a particularly long Order meeting. Tonks, toweling her hair in it's natural, mousey brown color, turned to study the look of annoyance that passed over Remus's face whenever he thought she wouldn't notice.

"Remus, are you going to let yourself be defined by one instance, one moment, one bite? Are you Remus, or are you lycanthropy? If you don't want to be Dumbledore's token werewolf, always sent on those missions, tell him."

He Turned to looked at her, and straightened up in his seat on the bed. "Dora, I want to be useful. At least this way I can help."

"There are other ways you can help. But you'd have to get over your habit of trying to report everything to Dumbledore."

"What's wrong with that?"

"He collects information. He doesn't do anything with it. He sits. He's still, as far as I can tell, stuck in the last war, in the 1940s when there were armies running about. This isn't that war."

"What's wrong with what he's doing?"

"Remus, since Harry's first year, what has he done?"

"He's kept Harry safe."

"Has he?" She looked him straight in the eye, and saw him wince. "You know there are other options, but you apparently like annoying them. I won't say anymore. You have decided not to decide."

.o.o.o.o.

Tonks laughed when Harry asked her to play responsible adult, and talk to Flitwick about not sharing information, even with others on the side of the light. Harry handed her a book on cell structure of the French Resistance in WW2, which he said would help her talk Flitwick into staying silent..

All seemed to go well, although Flitwick expressed a great deal of confusion about why Tonks wanted the appointment, once she handed him the book, and thanked him for his support of Harry and Hermione's research, he simple smiled, and offered an oath on his own.

When Harry heard that, his comment "well, so the man is smart" got a piece of toast thrown at him by Luna.

.o.o.o.o.

Ever since Snape's potions had become suspect, they had lost a major source of information. Everyone on Voldemort's Side was avoiding him like he was contagious, in public. In Private, he no longer could offer potions. He's been set to training up Petergrew in self defense, so he could do something other then transform and run. For a Death Eater, Peter's wand work was atrocious. His shields melted when he got nervous. Snape wasn't trying to hard to fix this.

Fred, George, Snape and Tonks were all loitering about Order Headquarters in their spare time, listening for spare bits of information, but there weren't a lot of Death Eater locations being bandied about. Also, one ran the risk of being assigned duty if you looked bored, as Fred complained the third time he got sent to check on Mrs. Figg after she heard a noise.

They'd developed an increasing dependance on the Map that Harry and Neville had designed (or at least modified the designs of from his father's work.) Hermione was spending hours looking over the record, trying to find the times of Death Eater meetings from the patterns of people disappearing off the map. However, they had no way to sift through the information. The library spells they had gone to the Ravenclaws to get didn't work on the map. It wasn't enough like a book. The only way to see what was going on was to watch the map, in person.

.o.o.o.o.

The Hunters continued their 'Death Eater of the Week' method of hunting. They researched each, watched them, and waited for the right time to pounce. They got the Carrows from behind while they were skulking about the edges of Upper Flagley. Harry and Neville had a good laugh about proclamations of the Bogeywoman being a hero of their times every time they cursed a Death Eater with a stunner in the back.

Harry didn't want to know what the two had been planning. However, Luna though people should be informed. The photo, just sent to the Aurors, showed both siblings, their marks, and gave the coordinates of their capture. The note was simple.

_ DMLE_

_ Ooops. You missed these two last time around._

_ They were up to no good. Keep an eye out this time._

_ Hunter Lead._

_ Known to the public as _

_ Bogeywoman_

This wasn't to say that they didn't sometimes just pounce. Wilkes, an nephew of the original Death Eater, and a legacy recruit, went out for a drink, once, for the first time in months. They saw him on the map, got Lee in to talk to them over the radio about the set-up, and left his cloak, stained with his blood, hanging over the pub's back gate. He'd put up a fight, kind of. He'd dodged for two minutes. Unfortunately for him, he'd dodged into things just as much as he dodged out of the way. The cloak was the result of two reflected cutting curses and an encounter with the pub's rose bushes, but Harry thought it was a nice touch.

.o.o.o.o.

Hermione turned to where she thought the twins stood, and smiled, although they couldn't see it. The low light in the alley didn't even make it to her face.

"Should I be surprised at how much fun it is to menace people in the name of goodness and light?"

"You were bloody scary in there. Walking into the Apothecary, silently, and getting close enough to tap on his shoulder with your wand."

"Silencing spells on the boots aren't hard."

"What did you do with your wand, by the way?" "It looks... different."

"I wrapped some leather rough cut cord and thestral hair around the carvings. It's all messy. It's supposed to look wild an primal, but really, it's just hiding the pretty flower carvings. They weren't...thematically correct."

"They're also likely identifiable." It likely wouldn't fool Ollivander-" "But it's a damn good idea."

"Thanks guys. So, now that we've menaced the potions people for the week, and I assume you got the red cloth planted " She paused. "AI can't see you guys nod, you know."

"Oh, right, yeah, we got everything planted."

"Ok, so what do we do-"

Her question was interrupted by screaming and crashes coming from the main street of Diagon Alley.

"I think that's our plan. Forward. Be read to scamper, though.."

Fred's voice whispered in her ear over the Radio. "Disturbance in Diagon Alley. 'Mione, Gred, Forge investigating. Radio on, streaming."

Harry Came in over the radio. "Where on the Alley?"

"Sounds like the Leaky End." "Looks like it too, people are fleeing toward Gringotts." Fred got his head all the way around the corner. "People are fleeing into Knockturn. That's a sight."

"Okay, We're walking. Hermione's visible, so we don't get trampled while not here."

Hermione, flanked by the unseen Fred and George, walked up the Alley, hugging the buildings and allowing the panicked people to flow past them.

"Ideas?" Harry asked.

"It's right up by the Portal. There's still screaming." Fred reported.

"Harry, it sounds like someone under Crucio. Get ready to be here."

"Right. Scramble, people."

Luna came over the radio. "Harry, I'm in Potions. I think I'm busy, as is Professor Snape. Yes, he nodded."

"Tonks, on my way."

"Ginny, Herbology."

"Neville, on my way. Ron is with me."

"Backup sounds like Me, Ron, and Neville shielding Tonks."

"Don't come in from the pub side. The portal's not opening, seems to be blocked that way."

"What do you see."

"Strange as it seems. I see someone in a red cloak, no shadows, no numbers, Crucio-ing someone in muggle clothes. Clear shot in four."

Hermione started moving forward, Pushing her way through the cowering crowd, some of whom seemed frozen on the spot in shock. At least one, when he saw who was moving past him, wet his robes.

"Three. Two."

"Down!"

With Fred's shout over the radio, the fight started. The mysterious figure in the red cloak had bodyguards, of the visible variety. And while the fake had been torturing, the guards had noticed the sudden increase in whimpering from one direction. Fred's shield had stopped a blasting hex aimed at Hermione's throat.

Hermione had her wand out and pointed at the guard, and the battle began. She was only using stunners, given the amount of innocents pinned against the portal, and huddling in doorways or behind any cover they could find, including each other, and their shopping.

The guard had no such sense of morals, and was firing cutting and blasting curses, alternating randomly.

"Under attack. Fake red has guards."

"Gred, we'er both shielding. That ok?"

"I think so. It's hard to make sure we don't reflect something wrong. 'Mione, okay shooting on your own?"

"Yes." Hermione was shooting sporadically, trying to time her shots for when the bodyguards were busy firing and not shielding. She hit the first with a stunner in the armpit, while he raised his wand dramatically high. "There. Here, other guard. Where'd he go."

"He's firing from behind that pile of owl cages." Fred's voice was terse.

"Accio bodyguard."

He flew forward two meters, scattering the pile of cages about before the spell broke.

"Nice."

The guard fired off three quick cutting hexes, then a quick bolt of green, and went diving for cover.

Hermione, who knew she didn't have to worry about shielding the cutting curses ducked the green bolt, and sent a tripping hex and three stunners at the guard as he dived for cover. He stayed flat at the end of his dive. Hermione stunned him again, just in case he was faking, then turned to face the fake, straight on.

"Wotcher, 'Mione, Which one is you?" Tonks sounded in her ear.

"I've got numbers and shadows. Also, my shoes aren't that tacky. I'm not on the Eeylops side of the road."

"We're coming in on your right. Let's pin her against the back of the Leaky, by that Rubbish Bin."

Fred spoke, breathing easier. "You know, I'm not so sure that's a 'her'..." George added. ""she' lacks certain assets."

"So not only are they trying to set us up as torturers, but they put on a bad drag show doing it?" Tonks asked.

"That would explain the shoes." Hermione was pacing forward slowly, trying to look menacing and keep the fake's eyes on her and her wand.

Tonks and her group came in from the other side of the street. Unfortunately, once again the crowd gave them away, and the fake managed to get her / his back against a wall and both groups in views.

That was the situation the Aurors saw when they finally got to the scene, breaking through the locked portal. Three bogeywomen were fighting, although it seemed to be two against one, and the one was loosing badly, although dodging hard. There were two men in dark blue robes, stunned and tied up, although the crowd would swear, even under truth serum, that neither of the shadowed Bogeywoman tied them up.

The Aurors, after a moment, decided to keep an eye on the situation, but made their focus getting the shocked and injured civilians out.

They did, Harry noticed, check the crucio victim for a dark mark before they moved him.

Finally, Neville, who was shielding for Tonks, managed to get a stunner reflected back at just the right moment to just the right place. It was followed by two more, one from Hermione and one from Tonks. Tonks then tied up the fake. Hermione raised her wand, took a breath, and cut off 'her' left sleeve. There was a ugly tattoo, skull, snake and all. It was oddly red.

Tonks looked at the observing Aurors, and made sure they had a line of sight on that. "Ok, the Aurors saw the mark. I think one even nodded."

Hermione took another deep breath, and transfigured their fake into a beetle. She then separately summoned him into one of her jars.

"Ok, now what. Aurors in the line of escape, we're mid kidnap..." Tonks asked. "Illegal apparition is still possible, no wards up."

"Think they'll let us check the guards for marks?" Hermione mused quietly into the radio.

"We can but try." Harry responded. "Girls, can you close in. I'd feel better as one unit, and we can blow people's minds with two real hunters playing nice with each other."

Hermione and Tonks moved together slowly, allowing their groups time to merge. Tonks moved her wand over to her left hand, making an Auror raise an eyebrow. Very few wizards were ambidextrous with their casting.

Hermione nodded at an Auror, nodded at the guards, and tapped her left forearm. They caught on fast, since it wasn't exactly a subtle request. One of the Aurors gladly checked them for marks, flinging back their sleeves. The guards were marked.

Once again, Hermione nodded, and this time, played with her hood. She wanted to know who they were. It took two flicks of her own hood (using her off wand hand, since it was still a tense situation) before they caught on. The Auror looked at Kingsley, who'd just arrived on scene.

"Permission to unmask, sir?"

"Fine. Just check for any traps first. You did remember to check on the sleeve, right?"

"Ummm." He didn seem to want to answer that question.

"Remind me to send you all the reports on what can happen if you don't. It's grisly reading."

"The first Auror's partner finished scanning the hoods. "Just a basic sticking charm. Finite. Finite."

They lowered the hoods. Hermione asked over the radio "Any recognize them?"

Tonks replied. "They look like your basic mooks."

"I think the one on the left was at Durmstrang, came for the Tournament."

"Not on our list, then?" Hermione asked.

"Nope. Not yet. We can add him and cross him off."

"Okay, Tonks and 'Mione shrug at each other, and we all get out of here. This many Aurors this close, lets go with four hops for paranoia."

"Four." "Tonks, wanna come side along for the first hop, since we're being all buddy buddy?"

"Three." "Sure, but I'm driving -" "Two" "-yougling." "One."

They linked their off arms.

"Go"

And they were gone.

.o.o.o.o.

Four dizzying hops later, through the wildernesses picked out by Ron and other various obscure locations, they all trickled into the Shrieking Shack. All of them vacated the chalked out 'landing area' and pulled down the hoods on their disillusionment cloaks for the (literal) head count.

Harry watched as Ron took down his hood. "And Ron makes all of us. Anyone followed?"

"Tonks and I heard a pop at our first site. We decided on five hops, separate for the last three."

"Well you two were the obvious targets. Did you see who it was?"

"Nope. The sound was behind us,and we were already spinning."

"Ok, then, good work, but some of us have class. Let's debrief some other time."

.o.o.o.o.

When Ron, Neville and Harry walked into Potions four minutes later, they were still trying to get their breathing under control. They weren't late, but it wasn't going to be a fun periods. Dueling, kidnapping and Auror evasion, even as a team, took a lot of energy.

Snape raised an eyebrow at them, and then announced that instead of brewing today, they'd be taking a pop quiz on the book, as far as they should have read, and the sixteen supplemental articles he'd suggested they read in the library... last class session.

Harry sighed. He wouldn't died a horrible death by falling asleep in his cauldron, but his grade would. And this was Professor Snape being nice, and considerate.

.o.o.o.o.

They met that evening, in the Room of Requirement. It wasn't planned, but the others heard Harry, Luna, and Hermione planning a trip to the mousery to talk to their beetle,and decided to wait around for information.

When Ron asked Harry for an update and a tray of toast over the radio, anyone who hadn't planned on being there decided it might be worth showing up. Professor Snape did complain about the Gryffindor bias inherent in meeting on the seventh floor. Until he was reminded that the Chamber wasn't viable as a place to wait for Harry.

When Hermione, Luna, and Harry walked in, the room went silent. Harry looked at the tray of toast Winky had delivered, and looked a little green.

"Who?" was the simple and surprisingly soft question from Snape.

"Nott. Mini-Nott. He joined after we got his father, and his mother ran to Canada."

"Ahh, so it wasn't a her. Good, I'd hate to be wrong about that sort of thing." Fred was playing with his toast, mostly out of respect for tradition.

Ginny spoke up. "Isn't he supposed to be here, in the castle? And we checked his arm, I know we did."

"He didn't have the mark yet, then. This was his initiation. Since his father planned the... event that lost so many people, his was to be harder then most, hence the daylight."

"And yes, Miss Wesley, he's supposed to be a student. One of my students." Snape's face didn't show any emotion, but he did swallow twice.

"Do we announce it? That he didn't have the mark when we checked? Or will that panic more parents?" Luna asked.

Hermione tilted his head. "I think we tell the DMLE, as we did kidnap him out from under their noses, and they'll like cooperation. They can likely get it confirmed by their prisoners."

"Speaking of their prisoners, Sir, can we talk you into looking at a pensive. We got a good look at the guard's faces, Ron thinks one was with the Durmstrang delegation."

"I can do that."

Snape did confirm Ron's identification, and he was added to the list and promptly checked off.

"I don't like that they're recruiting from out of country. We don't know them well enough to stalk them."

The others nodded.

Snape stayed quiet for the whole night. As they were getting up to leave, he nodded Harry over into a corner. "Is Theo a mouse?"

"Yes." Harry's answer was firm.

"Why? He's underage."

"He admitted that he decided to join up after both his parents were out of the story. He wasn't forced. His testimony about the Crucio he used today... It made us all sick. You know he just grabbed a muggle off the street, pulled them through the portal, told him how our world was superior and theirs would never compare, and then started torturing him... I... He described how fun it was. Luna threw up on him." Harry took a deep breath, then looked up into Snape's eyes. "He's a mouse, sir."

"Understood."

Snape left the room with an uncharacteristic heavy sigh, and begin the long trek down to his dungeons.

AN Why is Snape teaching potions? Why are the boys all taking it? Because. Besides, I already had Snape give Harry a potions detention, so I'm being consistent.


	18. Chapter 18: Seperation

**Disclaimer: **Harry Potter, associated characters and setting belong to JK Rowling and whoever she shares the rights with, which does not include me. This is for entertainment purposes only, with no copyright infringement intended, or profit made.

**Warning.** PG language, short reference to previous violence.

**Chapter 18: Separation**

The door to Harry and Hermione's workshop opened, and a blond Ravenclaw bounced in, closed the door, and spent three minutes hitting it with privacy spells. Harry just waited for Luna to be ready for him, although he made a mental note to ask her about the spell that turned the door red and blue checked.

"The DMLE sent us a letter back, isn't that exciting. They had it all ready and everything. It's like they missed us, and wanted to chat." Luna's voice lilted dangerously across three octaves as she announced the news.

Harry raised an eyebrow. He's been learning that since he spent time around Professor Snape outside of class. "What did they say?"

"They wanted to know what happens to the wands of those people we make poof. Also, they had the usual clauses saying they can't encourage or condone our actions, as we're outside the law, but really, they want to check all the wands to see if they can solve any crimes."

Harry started nodding, but ended up shaking his head. "Umm, Luna, what do we do with their wands?"

"I've been transfiguring them into unremarkable objects, and keeping them in the junk storage area. It's another doorless area, like the potato-ferret hall. Malfoy the mouse's is an ashtray, on top of a carved wooden elephant, near the pile of 37 bowling pins. Malfoy the ferret's is a mint tin. I put mints in it."

"Speaking of the Malfoys, have we let them chat, yet?"

"Nope. We should. Malfoy's done all his homework, and eaten a reasonable amount at every meal. Winky is trying to feed him up, but if she keeps giving him more and more he'll get round."

"Can Malfoys do that?"

"If you lock them in a cage with nothing to do and an over zealous house elf in charge of nutrition, yes." She tilted her head. "We could get him a really big wheel?"

"Okay. so my assignment is done. We have one Death Eater containment chair, charmed to hold him still, especially the hands. It's shrunken over there, in the red box."

"What else have you got?"

"For Malfoy, in case he prove to be contrary? The chair dampens magic, and I've got it trained to dole out little shocks to the back of the knees if he tries to use any."

"Oh . I was asking about the other boxes. You have fourteen colors of boxes, I was wondering what else you made." Luna stopped. "Will you really shock Mousey Malfoy?"

"If he tries to escape, yes. He'll hurt people again, just like last time before he was caught. And the information he knows now... well, they could use it to easily kill us all the next time we go out. I'm not willing to risk Hermione or Tonks, so I'm very willing to make it clear to Mr. Malfoy that escaping is not an option that's available to him."

"Oh, I guess that makes sense. I just don't want us to start growing Argulillies in the basement. They only grow where pain has steeped into stone, you know."

"I'll tell Malfoy ahead of time what he has to do to not be hurt, and we'll give him the choice. He can stay and chew on his tube happily, if he wants."

"I guess that's alright then."

"Anything else?"

"About those wands..."

"Lets wait until toast,and talk about it. I don't trust the DMLE to be able to keep them safe, but I understand the need for information."

"Should I write them back?"

"If you like. I wouldn't want them to think we're ignoring them. You can tell them the Hunters Council will think about it."

"Right, then. By the way, Harry, did you know your door is red and blue checked? It's strangely pretty like that."

.o.o.o.o.

Harry pulled Lucius Malfoy the mouse's cage out of the cage area, and waited until he had the mouse's full attention. It was hard to tell when a mouse was paying attention to you, and when it was just hoping for more gerbil food. Harry explained to Malfoy Sr. that he would be able to talk to Draco. Draco would stay in his cell. Malfoy Sr. would be strapped to a chair. The chair will restrain his hands, and keep him stationary. The chair will discourage any attempts at magic, as they are assumed to be escape attempts. Harry then asked the mouse to turn in a circle if he agreed. Lucius agreed, turning three times.

Malfoy, once transformed, looked like crap, compared to his normal, or even compared to Snape's normal appearance. His hair was uneven, and stringy. He was sporting a thin beard. His actions, small as there were, were twitchy, as were his eye movements. He didn't stand up straight, and twitched away from the bright lights they used.

Harry masked Draco's cell. He and Luna had put in the chair, and stick it down with a password based sticking charm, which Harry had made Hermione teach him. Malfoy was kept under three wands, including one held by Snape. He sit, in silence. The chair seemed to absorb him a bit.

Luna nodded. "Are you comfy?"

"Tolerably so. The chair is... comfier... then it looks to be, since it molded up around me.".

Harry opened the blocking spell Draco's cell up, one way.. The four watched Draco doing his homework. He'd adjusted quickly to the ballpoint pen and notebook paper.

Snape explained. "He's fed well, by one our our elves that insists on nurturing everyone. He's got his homework assignments as conveyed by the students. His bath area is behind the... ducky curtains. His teacup refills itself when he taps the rim..."

Lucius's face had silent tears running down it. Snape continued. "We come to visit him, so he's not in isolation, but he's not yet reconciled to talking to the other side..."

Lucius, still crying silently, thanked Snape. "I can't think of anyone else taking so much care of an enemy, even one they swore to care for as an infant."

"I swore to help raise him if you were unavailable. I... I may have betrayed your lord, but I intend to keep my other oaths."

Snape nodded at Harry, who dropped the one way barrier.

Draco turned fast, showing off his reflexes, and then he froze. His first expression was shock at the sight of his father. Then his face cleared. "It's a trick." he murmured, mostly to himself.

His father spoke. "I know I'm a sight. But it's so good to see my son looking so good. Snape has been taking good care of you. You should continue to listen to Snape, even if he's fighting for the wrong side - the other side, since he's obviously an honorable man, to care for his god son even when he's an enemy."

Draco, still in shock, commented again on his father's appearance. "What's happened to you, how...?".

Lucius laughed,and said "it's hard to look good when you're living as a mouse."

Draco put together all the hints, and panicked. His breathing sped up and the muggle ballpoint pen in his hand broke before he noticed he was squeezing it.

Lucius tried to calm him down. "I knew the risks. I fought. I got caught. I was only really worried when I heard they caught you. I've not been tortured, or killed. I'm being stored." He took a deep breath. "Warriors must be gracious in defeat as well as victory."

Harry, behind Lucius, laughed behind his hand and muttered that Draco was never gracious in victory, as he bragged too much, and if defeated he only whined louder about his father. Lucius turned his head.

Harry nodded at Draco while looking at Lucius "You didn't teach him a warrior's honor, you taught him to be a whiny bully."

Draco screamed at Harry. "I'm not a bully, and I'm not a coward, I'd do anything for my family and my family's honor."

"Including making the right choice and refusing to serve a mad-man. Oh, wait, you didn't."

Snape started to kick Harry out of the conversation, gesturing him towards the apparition point, "We did this so Draco and Lucius could talk."

Draco interrupted, screaming at Harry and Snape. "Snape, you're no god father of mine, you're a betraying, oath-breaking, sniveling, sneaking coward, now being ordered about by a half blooded freak, not fit for either world, just like you."

Harry snapped at the word 'freak.' The bars vibrated, there was wind blowing in his hair, and the chair sucked Lucius in farther. Everyone other then Harry held very still. Even Draco went silent.

"Talking to your family was a privilege I was willing to grant you. Not any more."

Harry shot a green beam at Lucius, caught the blond mouse in his hand, and dumped him in the jar on his belt. He walked out of the room in silence.

Snape turned to Draco. "Use your brain, fool. You're not in charge here."

.o.o.o.o.

When Harry came back to retrieve the chair, Snape was lurking, not interfering. Harry though he was likely trying to ensure Harry didn't kill his godson.

Draco was sobbing. "You turned him back into a mouse. He's living in a tiny cage. He hasn't seen soap in ages. How can that be humane?"

"Draco, what do Death Eaters call Muggleborns, other then Mudblood?"

Draco paused, although his eyes were still full of tears.

"Your Aunt Bellatrix loves to call people 'filthy beasts.' Yes. Creature is also a favorite name to call people. I think most Death Eaters treat animals better then Muggles and Muggle borns."

"My father..."

"Your father sic-ed a basilisk on Hogwarts. Did he tell you how to stay safe from it's gaze?"

"My Father..."

"I mean, we played nice in the department of Mysteries, and just stunned them. And they woke each other up. We decided we need to take them all the way out of the fight. So, it was either killing them all, or this."

"It's still horrible."

"Draco. I've walked in and rescued Order Members that got captured by Death Eaters. Do you want me to tell you about it? About the blood splatter on the Death Eater's shirts. About how she was still screaming?" Harry took a deep breath. "Think about Greyback, and how he likes to play with little kids, and bite even when the moon isn't full. Think about your friend Theo, who went on for twenty minutes about how fun it was to snatch a muggle off the street, introduce him to magic, and then torture him."

Harry was pacing. He stopped. "Death Eaters are animals. They need to be stopped. We're stopping them."

"My dad's not like them!"

"He funds them. He helps them. He recruits them. He helps make the laws that make it possible. He is one of them, and he's just as responsible. Hell, he even made his son into one."

"I chose this."

"You chose this based on the stories you'd been told all your life, and the way you'd been raised. You were always told you were better the others because you were born, and you wanted to be better, so you believed."

"I..."

"You''re only not a mouse because Snape likes you. If it were up to me, we'd force feed you Vertiserum, ask you if you took the mark voluntarily, and start feeding you mouse food."

"I haven't done anything..."

"Katie Bell got ahold of a cursed necklace on her own? You weren't planning on killing Dumbledore, or letting Death Eaters into our school via the Room of Requirement?"

Draco stared at Harry, unable to refute that.

"Winky will keep feeding you. Don't make any more demands. We're not a luxury hotel. Your dad can survive without soap. He'll learn to groom himself."

Harry, almost out of sight, turned, to say one last thing. "You, all of you, you brought this on yourself. You did the intolerable. You'll have to learn to live with intolerance for the rest of your life."

Draco was crying again as Harry left.

Snape looked at him, and left silently.

.o.o.o.o.

"You said a few interesting things back there."

"A lot of things were said tonight. I doubt any of us are at our best."

"May I ask where that lecture on the Death Eaters being animals came from?"

"I'm not going to discuss it with you. It's emotional. You'll try to correct me. It will end with a detention."

Harry apperated. Snape followed a split second later. Their discussion continued as they went up the tunnel towards the school.

"Far be it from me to disturb your equilibrium."

"You are never far from disturbing my equilibrium. You have been disturbing it ever since I got here, happy to be at a school where my cousin wouldn't pummel anyone who talked to me, and grateful to be able to eat enough. Hagrid bought me my first ever gift, and I had clothes that fit, and no one was locking me in a cupboard. And then you happened."

Snape paused at this.

Harry kept walking. He didn't look back. But he did say "Your godson is still alive,and he's not in Azcaban. That won't change in the next few days. Leave me alone for a bit. Sir."

.o.o.o.

"Luna, what can I do for you?" Harry was standing in the Chamber, ahead of the meeting, holding his newest bribe for Dobby, consisting of neon yarn, enough for three socks in each color..

"I'm worried."

"Oh?" Harry turned from the eye burning yarns and studied Luna's face, looking for a hint.

"Malfoy, who's been living as a mouse. He's been greatly affected by his time in our care. Perhaps we should consider a day or two of human time for our guests. If we rotated them through we wouldn't need that many cells."

"What about escapes?"

"I haven't read the latest studies on the effect of being withing a fidelious-ed area without knowing the secret. You were able to get it for me, but when you took me over before, it was all very blurry, since it existed, but I didn't know that... But they'd be escaping up though the Order of the Phoenix without knowing where they were."

"Still."

"We could assign prisoner duty to Tonks and Remus. The Death Eaters would at least respect them, as adults and known opponents."

Harry looked undecided. "I guess we do need to be better then them. and these are people's parents. Lets not drive them insane. No more Nevilles."

"Thanks, Harry. I'll draw up a schedule."

"Lets ask Tonks and Remus first, Luna. That's a lot of time. Figure out when they can be there." He paused. "Tell Tonks she can chose who she'll be on duty guarding."

"We could bring in Lee, you know. He was asking about any support we needed. Sitting and watching Death Eaters with your finger near the alarm wouldn't hurt his study habits any. Since we've got the map, he's stopped being our source for out and about Death Eaters."

"Lets put the twins on figuring out how to get him into the place, eh? Getting Dumbledore led around to the right topic is hard."

"Have you tried putting the information in a pensive?"

Harry was quiet for a moment. "No."

"Has anyone?"

"Ask Hermione to look into it, will you? We can't ask Flitwick, but I bet he knows."

"If we go in asking about all the possible ways it could be broken and how to guard against them, then we can."

Harry nodded, his eye once again drawn to the over bright yarn twists in his hand. He shivered, and pulled his cloak closer. "Hermione would be thrilled to do a comparison on written versus vocal sharing of the secret, and it's affect on overall security. Perhaps as a DADA Charms joint extra paper?"

"Are you working on something big then?"

"I'm working on the Cell and cage surveillance. We're trying to work out getting muggle security cameras and viewing TVs made magically. And the twins are working on a system that stuns anyone in the hall that hasn't been approved by the watcher."

"How's it going?"

"We can get it to take and transmit pictures, but not a video. And the twins can turn the interlopers hair pink, but stunners require more power. It's in progress."

"Well, It will certainly help Lee and Tonks and Remus with watching the Death Eaters, now won't it?"

Harry sighed but smiled. "Yes, Luna, as you wish."

Luna bounced once, then hugged Harry, and kissed his cheek before running off.

Harry looked stunned for a moment before yelling after her "Meeting in half an hour."

She half turned and nodded. "I'll be back. I just need to go figure out what root vegetable the Death Eaters are going to be."

"How about Carrots?"

"Don't be silly, Harry, that's Dobby's knitting room."

"Right." Harry said to himself as the tassels of Luna's carpet rose out of sight. While the camber was, in fact secret, it was annoyingly out of the way. Dobby had scavenged for them 4 old flying carpets and some twenty year old cleansweaps so they could get in and out more easily. Harry had asked him where they'd come from, and he'd only answered "The seventh floor" and would say no more. Harry suspected an elf run lost and found and spare furniture depository, since castle towers had small attics.

.o.o.o.

"Isn't Remus still in a cage of his own?" was the first question, this time from Professor Snape. Normally he let them wear themselves down a bit before poking holes in ideas.

"Oh, but given a serious job, like watching Death Eaters to prevent escape, I'm sure he's come to understand that we're all on the same side." Luna was using a slightly over wattage smile for the job of charming Professor Snape into agreement. It seemed to be working, if only because he was choosing not to face it any more.

"Besides," Luna continued "He'll work with Tonks, to keep her safe. And he'll feel that Lee, once his student and known to be prone to ideas, needs supervision."

Snape nodded, if anything, a little harder then necessary at this last point, leading to a very temporary glare from Hermione.

"Next." Hermione said.

"Wait, were we done talking about that?" Ginny sounded confused.

"We'll get back to talking about it later. Right now everyone needs to breath for a bit."

"Um. Luna brought it to my attention that the DMLE would like the Boogeywoman to forward them the wands of the captured Death Eaters, so they can be checked against the unsolved crimes on record." Harry took a breath. "That was complicated."

"It was. I don't like it." Hermione shook her head, emphatically.

"Why? I though we would want Death Eaters to go on record for their crimes?"

"But if their wands are in the DMLE department, someone could break out the wands for nefarious purposes. We don't trust them to capture Death Eaters, so why should we trust them with Death Eaters wands?"

"We could ask them very nicely if they'd prove they'd checked all their employees for ugly tattoos and _imperious_, and if they're willing to keep rechecking?" Luna proposed, as if it were the obvious next step.

Harry coughed. "If we send that letter, is there any way we can get the reaction on their faces when they open it?"

"No." Snape answered with a smirk. "But send it all the same. They'll either take it seriously, or not."

Luna hummed for a moment. Harry pondered introducing her to the octave based scale, but waited for whatever she was processing to fully take form. "I was think about how hard it is to send untraceable letters to the DMLE. I was thinking we should just send it to the newspapers. Ask them to print it. And make is self distrust after a few minutes."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "You want to send a self destructing letter to the Daily Prophet, asking them to pass on a message to the DMLE and the world at large, and you want that message to be that the Boogeywoman refuses to turn over the captured Death Eater's wands for analysis until the DMLE has cleaned house?"

Luna lit up with a smile. "Yes."

Hermione shook her head and smiled. "Well, that's our chaos for the week. What will we do with the distraction?"

"Can we kidnap Umbridge and check her arm?" Ron asked.

Harry blinked at him, and kept blinking. Hermione answered. "That's our chaos for next week, then. What are we doing with this week?"

Ginny raised her hand. "I'm out of ideas, and I've got three papers. Can we do homework this week?"

Hermione looked around the table to see a general agreement and series of nods. "Right, Luna sends of her chaos inducing letter, and we all do homework. Except Professor Snape, who does whatever he does when we're not looking." She paused and looked at him "Sir." She added, as if unsure if her last comment had crossed the line.

"I'm sure I can entertain myself. I do have tests to write, after all."

With that, the meeting broke up, with one final reminder that everyone should be thinking of ways to confused and confound the enemy, and that Professor Snape should remember that students were not the enemy, Death Eaters were.

* * *

><p><strong>AN<strong>: It's alive! The middle section, with Lucius in the chair didn't wish to be written, please excuse it's akwardness.


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